Adventures in Womanhood
by Ranchan2k3
Summary: What if the springs of Jusenkyo were a bit less forgiving? Who could Ranma turn to to deal with the consequences?
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER:** "Ranma 1/2" and its associated characters and settings are the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and the property of Viz Media. I use them here strictly as an expression of my love for the series, and I do not do so with any expectation of profit.

* * *

><p><strong>"Adventures in Womanhood"<strong>  
>by Ranchan2k3<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>  
>Mt. Quanjing, Bayankala mountain range, Qinghai province, China.<p>

To those who didn't know any better, the valley below would look rather picturesque. More than a hundred natural springs dotted the landscape, each with a bamboo pole growing to triumphant heights from its center. Coupled with the light wisps of fog, the whole place had something of a mystical feel to it. Yes, all in all, quite a beautiful place to visit.

Too bad it was cursed.

The peace of the area is just now disrupted as three men approach the springs. One of them, a chubby Chinese man in a green Mao uniform, was the guide for this area. His companions were both Japanese, martial artists judging by the karate gi each wore. One was a heavy-set man in glasses, a white bandana covering up his complete lack of hair. The other was a boy in his mid-teens, his long black hair tied back into a simple ponytail.

The guide addresses his companions in broken, heavily accented Japanese. "Oh, sirs, we come to legendary training ground of cursed springs..." He brings a sign out from behind his back with the place's name written on it. "...Jusenkyo."

The man in glasses speaks. "I hope you're ready, Ranma."

The boy shrugs off his travel pack, setting it down on the ground. "Aw, this place ain't near as bad as I thought it'd be."

The guide looks at the two strangely. "You very strange ones, no? This place very dangerous. Nobody use now, this training ground, 'cause more than one hundred springs here, each with own tragic story."

The big man was in no mood to listen to folklore. "Ranma! Follow me!" He leaps towards the top of one of the bamboo poles."

"Right behind ya," comes Ranma's reply as he vaults to another pole. The two square off in their stances, the guide below starting to panic now.

"Sirs! What you doing? I no finish my tragic story!"

The two ignore him. "I won't go easy on you, Ranma!"

"Well, that's just the way I like it!" The two lunge at each other, rapidly exchanging blows in mid-air before each one lands on the pole his foe had just vacated.

The guide was _really_panicking now. "Please, sirs! Very bad you fall in spring!"

He may as well have been talking to a brick wall. They lunge at each other again, but this time Ranma gets the upper hand, landing a kick from above that knocks his erstwhile opponent into one of the springs below. Ranma springs off from the impact, landing on one of the poles as the big man splashes down. He seems to be taking a bit longer than expected to surface, however. "Pop? What's up? We done already?"

The waters swirl and bubble, then a form bursts from the waters. It was a panda, of all things, wearing the large man's karate gi and glasses. Ranma goes wide-eyed. "Wha...?" He stares, then turns to the guide, pointing at the panda. "What the hell is that?"

The guide produces another sign. "That one Shonmaoneechuan, Spring of Drowned Panda. The legend say giant panda drown in spring two thousand year ago. Now whoever fall in spring change permanently into panda!"

Ranma was understandably upset. "Hey, buddy, you never said anything about that to us!"

Just then, the transformed man, apparently so into the fight he didn't know he'd changed, attacks. Ranma only has time to yelp before a giant paw swats him off the pole. He splashes down into a spring.

The guide races over, stopping at the edge of the spring. "Oh, too bad. You fall in Nyanniichuan, Spring of Drowned Girl." A shortish, busty little red-haired girl wearing Ranma's karate gi and hairstyle surfaces. "The legend say a young girl drown there one thousand five hundred year ago." The girl - Ranma, apparently - notices her chest. She gropes herself to check, then her eyes widen. "Now whoever fall in spring change permanently into girl." Ranma closes her eyes and opens her gi top, then swallows and opens her eyes, looking down. Breasts. She screams, then stares at the guide in horror. "You see? You become girl."

* * *

><p>Ryoga Hibiki was lost.<p>

While this was hardly the newsflash of the century, it still annoyed the boy to no end. And somehow, he just knew it was all Ranma's fault.

'_Damn you, Ranma, how dare you walk out on our man-to-man duel_,' Ryoga thinks to himself as he pushes his way through the local plant life. He emerges on a cliff overlooking a valley, numerous springs dotting the landscape below. Just as he was wondering where he was, he hears a noise behind him. Turning, he is surprised to see a panda running out of the woods towards him. In a panic, the boy vaults straight up into the air, over the panda's head. Then a girl's voice is heard. "Get back here, old man! Get back here I said!" He looks, seeing a red-haired girl in a karate gi vaulting high into the air straight towards him. Being in mid-air already, he had no way to dodge. Her knee makes solid impact with his forehead, causing him to miss his landing. He lands on the edge of the cliff, flailing for balance, then the cliff edge crumbles, sending him tumbling towards the springs below.

Ranma, brought out of her rage by the realization that she'd hit something, turns her head to look. "Huh?" Then she spots the boy falling. Her eyes widening, reflex takes over. Shifting in mid-air, she springboards off the first bamboo pole she comes to, firing herself on an intercept course for the falling boy's body. She tackles him in mid-air, the force sufficient to send them both sprawling in a heap onto dry ground, the red-head ending up on top of him.

Ryoga lays there in a daze, wondering just what had hit him. "Oog...what hit me...?" Ranma gets off of him, sitting next to him with a look of worry on her face.

"Hey, you okay? Sorry 'bout that. I didn't see you back there."

"I'm...fine," replies Ryoga as he sits up. "I would've been fine, you know. The water was gonna break my fall."

"I know. That's why I had to tackle you to the ground instead." She sighs a bit. "The water here...it's cursed. If you fall in, you...change."

Ryoga blinks at her. "Change?"

She smiles humorlessly. "For starters, before I came here, I was a boy."

He stares at her. '_Is she delusional...? No...she seems to have her mind all there...but she couldn't be telling the truth, could she?_' He decides to introduce himself. "Well, er...thank you, I guess. Um...who're you anyway? I'm Ryoga Hibiki."

Ranma blinks, staring at him. "Ryoga...? Oh, boy. Talk about coincidences." She chuckles. "I'm Ranma Saotome. Good to see ya again, man."

Ryoga's eyes widen. "Ranma...?" He stares incredulously at her as she just nods. "But you...you can't be...I mean you're a..."

"I said this place changes you," she replies simply.

It was impossible. He had to check. "What...was the last thing we said to each other?"

She looks over at him. "...We agreed to have a duel in the vacant lot behind your house. Because I kept gettin' the last piece of bread at lunch." She pauses. "I waited three days for you to show up. Then Pop knocked me out an' dragged me off to China."

"..." That proved it. The only one who could possibly have known about that was Ranma, because they'd made the agreement in private. Then the realization crashes in on him on just what sort of fate she'd saved him from. "Then...that panda was...?"

"My Pop."

Ryoga breathes out. "...Wow. I...I don't know what to say." He rubs the back of his head with a hand. "...I guess it'd be silly to keep pressing on about that bread feud. Fate apparently decided to punish you a heck of a lot worse than I ever could."

Ranma snorts. "Real funny."

He chuckles slightly. "I guess what I'm saying is..." He offers her his hand. "Truce?"

She eyes his hand speculatively for a minute, then smirks, grasping it in a firm shake. "Truce." She stands up, helping Ryoga to his feet as she rises. "I think you should get outta here. No tellin' what spring you might fall into if you wander around here too much."

Ryoga nods. "Right. Um...I guess I'll be seeing you around, then, Ranma. Bye." He turns, then walks begins heading for the southern coast. Which was a pity, since he'd meant to head east.

* * *

><p>Some time later, with panda and girl now calmed down, they assembled with their guide in his shack. Ranma voices the thought on both their minds. "Is there any way for us to change back to normal?"<p>

The guide sadly shakes his head. "I sorry, sirs, but change is permanent. Not even other spring change you now. That why nobody use this place now."

She sighs, then turns to glare at the panda. "Legendary training ground, you said. Opportunity of a lifetime, you said. It'll make a real man outta you, you said. Bah!"

The panda sheepishly holds up a sign. [I said I was sorry.]

Ranma snorts, then looks back to the guide. "So what d'you suggest I do now?"

The guide considers. "If honored customer want, this one suggest you visit Amazon womans of Joketsuzoku. They very skilled, very strong warrior womans. They help you learn about new body."

Ranma considers, then turns to the panda. "How about you, Pop?"

The panda holds up a sign. [I believe I'll stay with the guide here.] Flip. [I've lost my humanity for good, after all.] Flip. [And it's not like I know how to care for a panda's body.] Flip. [Go and make me proud, Boy. Er, Girl.]

Ranma chuckles, shaking her head. "Alright." She steps over to her pack and picks it up, slipping her arms through the shoulder straps. "...See ya, Pop."

[Get going before you start blubbering like a girl, Boy.]

_**End Chapter 1.**_

**Author's Notes:** Okay, so this is my first foray into the world of fanfiction. C&C is welcome, flaming is not. Please be gentle, it's my first time. *wink*


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER:** "Ranma 1/2" and its associated characters and settings are the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and the property of Viz Media. I use them here strictly as an expression of my love for the series, and I do not do so with any expectation of profit.

* * *

><p><strong>"Adventures in Womanhood"<strong>  
>by Ranchan2k3<p>

* * *

><p>"Japanese dialogue"<br>"{Chinese dialogue}"

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>  
>Ranma stood before the gates of Joketsuzoku village, clutching in her hand a piece of paper the guide had given her with directions to reach the village. He had warned her that they were a matriarchal society with a wary - some would say paranoid - view of outsiders, so she would need to be on her best behavior if she wanted them to listen to her, or even if she just wanted to walk out of the village with her life. Steeling herself, she approaches, noting the lack of any guards, then walks on in.<p>

After passing the first few thatched roof huts, the reason for the absence of any guards becomes apparent. On a log hanging horizontally between two poles, two fighters were having a fight, with a crowd around them shouting encouragement and insults in their native Mandarin. '_Must be some kinda tourament_,' she muses, stepping over to find a seat where she can watch the proceedings. One of the two fighters was a large, ugly, mannish woman wielding a large club. Her looks truthfully made Ranma grimace. The woman's opponent, however, was much more attractive, a young woman about Ranma's own age with long purple hair, wielding a pair of bonbori.

In an instant, the fight was on. And just as quickly, it was over, the purple-haired girl knocking her large opponent off the log with one swift bonbori strike. '_She's not bad_,' Ranma thinks to herself. '_Got some holes in her guard, but she'd still make a pretty good sparring partner._'

Her thoughts are interrupted by an aged woman's voice crackling behind her. "Quite the spectacle, don't you think?"

Letting out an involuntary "eep!" of surprise, Ranma spins around, catching sight of a shrunken old woman with a mane of long white hair and large, round eyes, balanced easily on a gnarled wooden cane that even Ranma's rudimentary senses could tell was supercharged with ki. The old woman cackles. "Do forgive me, I simply couldn't resist. Now, then, child, what brings you to our village? As you can no doubt imagine, we don't often receive visits from outsiders."

Ranma takes a minute to calm herself, then answers. "Um...the guide told me you guys could help me. I, um...was just...changed. At Jusenkyo."

The ancient woman's demeanor abruptly turns serious. "I see. In that case, come along with me. I am the Elder Kuh Lon. If the pronunciation is difficult for you, I will answer to 'Cologne'. You will present your request before the full Council of Elders." The old woman turns, then starts pogoing on her cane towards a large hut nearby. Rising from her seat, Ranma quickly follows, fighting down her nervousness.

* * *

><p>Some time later, Ranma finds herself standing before an assembly of six women, each roughly as old as Cologne was. The Elders were seated at a long table, at least half of them gazing at her with no small measure of contempt. '<em>Well, the guide did warn me about how they think of outsiders<em>,' she thinks to herself.

Cologne speaks up. "Present your case before the Council, child. We shall hear what you have to say before passing judgment."

Ranma nods, then takes a deep breath and begins. "My name is Ranma Saotome. I've trained my entire life in martial arts, and for the past decade, I've been on a training journey with my Pop. That training journey took us to Jusenkyo. There, my Pop got turned into a panda...and I got turned into the form you see now." She sighs. "I was told that there's no way for me to return to normal, but that you guys could help me get used to my new form. If...If you could see your way to overlooking the fact that I don't come from here and help me relearn how to be a warrior, I would forever be in your debt."

One of the other Elders speaks up, a doubtful tone in her voice. "You claim to be a warrior? Ridiculous! You are - or were - a mere male. And an outsider at that."

"As I recall, Qiu Tiep, your own mother was an outsider, and she was one of the finest warriors we've yet seen in this village's history," reminds Cologne.

"That is entirely beside the point!"

"On the contrary, I'd say it's exactly the point," counters another Elder.

"Fine, if you trust this outsider's words so much, Kuh Lon, then put your money where your mouth is," snaps Qiu Tiep. "We shall have this _boy_ prove _himself_by facing your own great grand-daughter, Xian Pu, in a match. If Ranma wins, I will rescind my objections. If not, the fool goes elsewhere. Agreed?"

Cologne looks...amused? "Agreed. So it is stated, so it shall be." She concludes the meeting by giving the table a good, solid rap on the table with her cane. The Elders then file out of the hut, all except Cologne, who approaches a befuddled Ranma.

"Um...are you sure about this? Nothin' bad's gonna happen to me if I beat her, will it?" Ranma looks at the old woman, worry evident on her face.

Cologne simply smiles. "Do not worry, child. I will ensure you face neither the Kiss of Death nor the Kiss of Marriage in the event of your victory. Xian Pu will need some time to rest before she can face you; take this time to enjoy a meal. You hide it well, but I can tell you have not been nourished properly in more than a week."

Ranma's cheeks redden. "Um...th-thanks. I'll, um...I'll do that."

* * *

><p>An hour later, the villagers were once again gathered around the challenge log, the Elders included. This time, standing across from one another on opposite ends of the log were Xian Pu and Ranma. Xian Pu was in a stance, her bonbori at the ready, while Ranma simply stood with her arms folded neatly behind her back.<p>

Qiu Tiep, standing next to Cologne, scowls at this. "{Look at this. The stupid child's stance is completely wide open. How can you entertain even the slightest notion that this outsider is a warrior?}"

Cologne chuckles, her eyes twinkling in amusement. "{In that, I believe you are in agreement with my great grand-daughter. Just watch, Qiu Tiep. I expect you'll be surprised.}"

Up on the log, Xian Pu studies her opponent with distaste. '_{No guard, hands behind her back, not even a weapon}_,' she thinks to herself. '_{Feh! This won't take long. One quick strike should overwhelm her.}_'

Cologne raises her staff. "Fighters ready! BEGIN!" She brings her staff down into the dirt, then the fight is begun. Xian Pu lunges forward, intending to get rid of the outsider with one swift bonbori strike. Unfortunately, she failed to see the kick come up from below. Ranma's foot catches her in the chin, catapulting her into the air and sending her twin bonbori flying. Moments later, Xian Pu impacts the solid ground with a thud. The crowd was utterly silent, stunned at how easily their village champion had been beaten. Among the stunned was Elder Qiu Tiep, who was staring wide-eyed at the scene before her. Watching this, Cologne cackles, then approaches Ranma, addressing the rest of the village. "{Let it be known to all that the outsider Ranma Saotome has proven her worth as a warrior! Let it also be known that she is **not**to be subjected to either the Kiss of Death or the Kiss of Marriage, as per what was agreed upon earlier! This young warrior, changed into her current form by the cursed waters of Jusenkyo, has come to us seeking aid in learning how to be a proper warrior again, and by defeating my great grand-daughter in fair and honorable combat, has earned the right to do so! Any who object are in violation of the will of the Council!"}" She strikes the ground with her cane, making it official. The villagers, still stunned, simply turn away and go about their business.

A flabbergasted Ranma hops down off the log, looking at Cologne. "Um...what did you just tell them, Granny?"

"Simply that you are welcome here in the village now to begin your training," answers Cologne. "Now, come. You will be given a bath and clean clothes at the home of myself and my great grand-daughter. Sleep well tonight, for your training begins in earnest tomorrow."

_**End Chapter 2.**_

**Author's Notes:** And that's it for Chapter 2. As before, C&C is welcome, flaming is not. In regards to the Elder Qiu Tiep, I'll say only that this isn't the last we'll be seeing of her. Whether her future appearance bodes good or ill, however, I'll leave up in the air.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER:** "Ranma 1/2" and its associated characters and settings are the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and the property of Viz Media. I use them here strictly as an expression of my love for the series, and I do not do so with any expectation of profit.

* * *

><p><strong>"Adventures in Womanhood"<strong>  
>by Ranchan2k3<p>

* * *

><p>"Japanese dialogue"<br>"{Chinese dialogue}"

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>  
>Ranma Saotome, heiress of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, stood warily regarding her opponent. Her opponent did not speak, nor did it return her stare or otherwise move. Not too surprising when you consider that it was just a bra.<p>

"If the old ghoul didn't think this was a good idea...jeez. How did she say this thing goes on again...?"

Cologne had kept to her word about training Ranma in how to be a strong warrior in her new female form. The first aspect of that had been getting Ranma adjusted to being female in the first place. That meant proper undergarments and clothing sized to fit her female body. Truth to tell, Ranma could see Cologne's point about the bras; given how busty she was as a girl, back strain had already made its presence felt, and Cologne had said that a bra would diminish if not outright eliminate that problem.

At least it wasn't all frills and lace.

A few minutes later, and after some struggling with the bra, Ranma was dressed in her new clothing. A red silk Chinese shirt with gold-colored frog ties paired with charcoal gray martial arts pants had comprised the core of her outfit, to which she had added a black pair of soft-soled slipper shoes and a black cloth belt, tied around her waist outside the shirt and knotted at the side. A simple pair of black bracers completes the outfit. She stands in front of a full length mirror, regarding her reflection with pursed lips. "...Well...at least it ain't ugly. Aw, who am I kiddin'? It's damn kawaii, is what it is." She sighs.

Well, time to go face the music.

* * *

><p>In the main room of the hut Cologne lived in with her great grand-daughter, Ranma presented herself for inspection. Cologne looks her over, then nods in approval. "Very nice, Ranma. Your years of training and the interpretation of Jusenkyo's magic has left you with a figure many in the village would yearn for." Ranma's face reddens at the compliment. "Everything fits well, I trust?" The red-head just nods. "Very good. Now, then. Before I may begin devising a training regimen for you, I must first see where your current skills lie. Your match against Xian Pu, you will agree, was far too short for an accurate estimation."<p>

Ranma frowns a bit. "Okay, but who would you test me against? Shampoo's the village champion, right? The guys I've seen around here seem a little...weak, I gotta say, and takin' on any of the girls...well..."

"The thought troubles you?"

"Well, yeah."

"And why is that?"

"Well...guys don't hit girls."

"And who taught you that, child?"

"Uh...my Pop." Where was Cologne going with this?

"I see. And would you consider your father a reliable font of wisdom from which to glean proper morals and information?" Cologne had been filled in the previous evening on the circumstances regarding how Ranma had ended up at Jusenkyo to be cursed, that it was her father, Genma's, idea. The story she'd heard had painted a picture of a rather foolish and lazy man whose primary motivation was his own survival and stuffing his face.

"...You have a point."

"That is the first lesson you must learn, Ranma," lectures Cologne. "An individual's strength and skill does not necessarily flow from their gender. You will find, if you open your eyes and look, that women can be every bit as strong as men, if not stronger, albeit in different ways. If you need an example, look upon our own Council of Elders. They, too, are women."

Ranma considers that one. '_The old ghoul has a point_,' she thinks to herself. '_The old man was wrong about Jusenkyo, after all. What else could he be wrong about?_' Out loud, she says, "I'll take what you say under advisement, Elder," and she follows with a respectful bow.

Cologne nods. "Very good, child. Now, as for the method of testing your current expertise..." Her eyes twinkle in amusement. "Would you care to have a match with me, young Ranma?"

It took all of Cologne's will to maintain her composure in the face of Ranma's expression upon hearing that question.

* * *

><p>The match Cologne and Ranma had took place behind Cologne's hut. It could have been over in an instant, but Cologne dragged it out so she could see the full breadth and depth of Ranma's skills. The Elder was impressed. Though Ranma would have to be taught to compensate for her loss of reach and the lower center of gravity, the child's skills were remarkable. They would have been remarkable coming from a warrior twice Ranma's age; to see such skill in a mere 16-year-old was truly impressive. While Cologne had no doubt that Ranma's father was an idiot, a thief, and a cad, she had to admit that he knew how to train a fine warrior.<p>

After about thirty minutes, Cologne calls a halt to the match, at which point Ranma collapses to the dirt, her chest heaving as she struggles to catch her breath. Cologne cackles. "Youth these days. No stamina." Ranma turns her head to make a face at Cologne, causing the old woman to chuckle with mirth. "At any rate, Ranma, I must admit that I am quite impressed. You bear no small amount of skill for your age. Indeed, there are a number of warriors twice your age that would look on your skill with envious eyes. As to the matter of your training. For the start, we shall get you adjusted to fighting in your new body. You have a shorter reach and a lower center of gravity in this form, Ranma, and your lack of familiarity with that difference could cost you. At the same time, I'll be teaching you our village's dialect of Mandarin; there are some who do not speak Japanese, and friction could develop if you cannot make yourself understood. Once I feel you have an adequate grasp of your body, I will teach you the techniques of our village's brand of kung fu."

Ranma suddenly sits bolt upright, her fatigue forgotten. "I get to learn new techniques?"

Cologne had to chuckle. Ranma's expression looked like a little boy on Christmas morning. "Of course, child. Surely you did not think we would simply train you in how to be female, did you?"

Ranma leaps into the air. "Wahoo!" She lands on her feet, grinning from ear to ear. Cologne just laughs.

* * *

><p>Following the match and a bath, Ranma finds herself relaxing in the doorway of Cologne's hut, watching the villagers go about their daily business. Most of them paid her no mind. A few - the younger ones, mainly - waved and smiled at her. She was just sitting there, thinking about her new circumstances, when she finds herself approached by Shampoo. Looking up at the purple-haired Amazon, Ranma tilts her head curiously. "Somethin' on your mind, Shampoo?"<p>

Shampoo looks a bit flustered. After a sigh, she lowers herself into a seat next to Ranma. "...Shampoo insult Ranma in match yesterday. Not take seriously because Ranma was outsider, and male. Even if Shampoo take seriously, she know Ranma still win. Shampoo..." She bites her lip. "Shampoo offer Ranma humblest Amazon apology and ask if Shampoo and Ranma be sparring partners? Please?"

Ranma stares at Shampoo. It was the exact reverse of the view Ranma herself had been raised with. After a few moments, Ranma chuckles at the irony, then replies. "S'alright, Shampoo. I'll admit, I didn't take you all that seriously, either, because you're a girl. I think we both got some learnin' to do where the opposite sex is concerned." She chuckles again. "But yeah, I'll accept your apology, an' I'd be glad to spar with ya while I'm here." She offers Shampoo a hand. "Friends?"

Shampoo studies the hand for a second, then squeals happily and ignores it as she launches a patented Amazon Glompﾙ, bowling Ranma over as the red-head just laughs.

* * *

><p>Watching from the shadows across the way, a shriveled old woman with a gnarled cane narrows her eyes. '<em>{So, the outsider thinks to ease his way into the village by befriending our champion, does he?}<em>,' Elder Qiu Tiep thinks to herself. '_{I'll not tolerate it on my watch. He has the support of Kuh Lon and the others on the Council, so I cannot simply eliminate him. However, it is always possible that he could succumb to a simple...accident...in training.}_'

A humorless smile creases the Elder's face as she turns away. '_{Yes, indeed. Plans must be made. You shall not get in the way of what I have in store, Ranma Saotome!}_' She heads off.

_**End Chapter 3.**_

**Author's Notes:** And that does it for the third chapter. I'd like to thank everybody for the mostly positive reviews so far, and I hope this third chapter lives up to expectations. If not, I'll try to do better in the next one. I promised you'd see Qiu Tiep again, and I always live up to my promises. I'm sure most of you aren't at all surprised at her emergence as the antagonist here; I pretty well laid the groundwork for that in the last chapter, I think. As always, C&C is welcome. Hope you're enjoying it so far! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER:** "Ranma 1/2" and its associated characters and settings are the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and the property of Viz Media. I use them here strictly as an expression of my love for the series, and I do not do so with any expectation of profit.

* * *

><p><strong>"Adventures in Womanhood"<strong>  
>by Ranchan2k3<p>

* * *

><p>"Chinese dialogue"<br>"{Japanese dialogue}"

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>  
>The three weeks following Ranma's welcome into the tribe were largely a haze of training, learning Mandarin, and having many of the holes in her education filled in. Despite her situation and upbringing, she was an energetic and friendly person when given the chance to be, so she quickly grew on the others in the tribe.<p>

Most of them, anyway.

Elder Qiu Tiep was one of those who did not accept the situation. As the Elder in charge of the White Tigers, an especially elite group of the Amazon village's finest warrior maidens, not many dared to take her to task for her attitude. In her view, this Ranma was little more than an outsider male trying to worm his way into the village to corrupt them and their ways, and she refused to stand for it. Oh, yes, she would see the foolish boy in female guise ejected from the village, make no mistake about that.

The only question was how...

* * *

><p>"You wanted to see me, Granny?"<p>

Cologne looks up from the diary she'd been writing in, smiling as she sees the curious expression of one Ranma Saotome framed in the doorway. "Yes, child, I did. Please, do come in."

Ranma nods and enters as requested, fidgeting a little nervously as she stands before the Elder. Cologne chuckles. "Do not be nervous, Ranma. I called you here to share some good news with you."

Ranma blinks a bit at this. Good news? "What is it, Granny?"

Cologne's smile broadens. "The Council has agreed that you have mastered your physical form as much as may be expected. Your training in the techniques of our tribe will begin this afternoon."

Ranma's eyes light up, her expression that of a little boy who'd just had his fondest wish granted. "Really? You mean it?"

The Elder nods. "Of course, child. Go and get yourself ready. I shall meet you outside shortly."

"{Alright!} I-I mean, yes, Elder!" Ranma bows, then turns and hastily leaves the room, leaving behind a Cologne who was cackling in amusement at the teenager's antics.

* * *

><p>Minutes later, Ranma and Cologne stand hunched near a small campfire outside the Elder's hut. Ranma looks confused. "I don't understand, Granny. What does roasting chestnuts have to do with martial arts?"<p>

"Patience, child. Watch closely." Cologne focuses her gaze within the fire. Moments later, her arms become a blur, and when they finally stop, she was clutching two fistfuls of chestnuts with no sign of fire damage to her limbs.

Ranma stares with wide eyes. "G-Granny...that was...!"

"The Roasting Imperial Chestnut Attack, or Chestnut Fist as it is often abbreviated," explains Cologne. "It is an attack passed down through 3,000 years of Chinese Amazon history, one so powerful that even the Emperor feared it. Those who master this technique become capable of unleashing hundreds of blows upon their hapless foes in the blink of an eye." She tosses the chestnuts back into the fire. "Now, then. Let us see you try it."

Ranma blinks, then frowns, gazing at the fire. "...Okay, then. Here goes...!" Her arms blur...then she yelps, rolling away from the fire and patting frantically at her burning shirt sleeve to put it out.

Cologne cackles in obvious amusement. "It may take you some time to master this technique, Ranma. Should I perhaps come back later...?"

Ranma scowls, looking annoyed. "Go ahead and laugh, Granny. But remember this..." She places herself before the fire once again. "Ranma Saotome doesn't lose."

* * *

><p>That evening, Ranma sits on her bed, looking over the burnt ruins of her shirt with a frown. It was actually more of a vest than a shirt at this point, with just a few charred threads hanging off the edges. "Dammit...I liked this shirt, too..."<p>

Shampoo smiles from her position behind Ranma, massaging the red-head's shoulders. "Cheer up, Ranma. It's a hard technique to master; you'll get it."

"So you say, but I'm no closer to mastering it than I was when Cologne first showed me the technique," comes the morose response.

Shampoo giggles. "Don't worry about it. I asked Great Grandmother, and she says it took her two weeks to master it."

Ranma blinks, looking back at Shampoo. "Really?" At seeing Shampoo's nod, Ranma smiles, her spirits considerably lifted. "Thanks, Shampoo. I feel a little better after hearing that." She returns her gaze to her shirt, then sighs, setting it aside. "Still, there's gotta be a better way to learn that attack. At this rate, I'm gonna run through every shirt I own. And while I'm sure that would make plenty of people in the village happy, I don't feel like causing a flurry of nosebleed casualties for the healer to deal with." Shampoo giggles at that. Ranma stands up, fetching another shirt from her things, then puts it on. "I'm gonna go take a walk, Shampoo. I'll be back soon." Shampoo nods, smiling as she watches Ranma make her way outside.

* * *

><p>Ranma's walk ends up taking her to the challenge log. At this time of night, the village was quiet, leaving Ranma the chance to think about things. She'd done a lot of that over the last three weeks, but this time, instead of her upcoming life to be, her thoughts were focused entirely on the Chestnut Fist. "{It sounds so easy. Just pluck the chestnuts outta the fire before ya get burned. So why can't I do it? Is there a trick to it?" She was so deep in thought that her danger sense almost didn't warn her in time. Just as she ducks, an arrow thunks into the log, missing her head by mere inches. Ranma growls out. "Who's there?"<p>

She is answered by a haughty female voice. "As if I need to grace a mere outsider's ears with the knowledge of my name."

Ranma recognizes the voice, though. "Conditioner? What the heck are you doing?"

A tall but not unattractive woman strides into view, holding a bow in her hands with a smirk on her face. "Testing the skills of this outsider that our champion is so thoroughly taken with, of course. That's allowed, is it not?"

Ranma scowls at her. "If you wanted a fight, Conditioner, you could've just asked."

Conditioner scoffs. "A White Tiger does not ask for a fight. She hunts down her prey."

"Fine." Ranma drops into her battle stance. "Then it's time you learned there's certain prey no hunter should ever mess with."

Conditioner tosses aside her bow, then draws a jian from its sheath at her hip. "Big words, outsider. Let us hope you are not merely posturing." And with that, she attacks, her jian flashing through the space where Ranma should have been. Ranma was quicker, though, vaulting into the air with a front flip as her foot comes down to kick Conditioner in the back of the head. Conditioner hits the dirt in a face-plant, Ranma landing behind her a moment later.

Conditioner leaps quickly back to her feet as Ranma goes on the attack, sword slashes being dodged as Ranma counters with an open-handed palm strike to Conditioner's torso, blowing her back twenty feet to land in a heap on the ground, her sword clattering away from her reach. Conditioner skids to a stop, then scowls across at Ranma. "You are better than I expected. Very well, then. No more holding back." The Amazon draws a dagger, then blurs across to the red-head. Ranma profiles out of the way of the attack at the last second, causing the blade to catch the front of her shirt instead of her body, slicing the shirt open.

Ranma yelps. "Hey! Dammit, that's the second shirt I've had wrecked today!"

"Worry about your skin first, outsider!" Conditioner stabs at Ranma. The red-head claps her hands around the blade, holding it there as the two strain against the other. Conditioner was larger and stronger, but Ranma had the edge in skill and craftiness. She purposely tilts backwards, planting a foot in Conditioner's stoamch, then pushes off, relieving her of the dagger as Conditioner flies through the air to crash into the challenge log, the impact snapping it in two.

Ranma stands up, holding the dagger in one hand as she warily eyes her opponent's fallen form. After several seconds, Ranma exhales, satisfied that Conditioner wasn't getting back up. Ranma then frowns, looking towards the dagger. "...{I better tell Cologne about this.}" She then takes off at a run back to Cologne's hut.

* * *

><p>Watching from the shadows as the red-head runs off, Elder Qiu Tiep can only scowl. "Blast it...that outsider is far more skilled than I first thought. He must be concealing his true power somehow from even my ability to sense it. Savor your victory for now, Ranma Saotome. Conditioner is far from the only warrior I have the ability to call on." She then turns, walking off back to her hut.<p>

_**End Chapter 4.**_

**Author's Notes:** Here it is, the long awaited Chapter 4. Tensions are beginning to rise, and Ranma has yet to realize just what she's up against here. I hope you're all enjoying this so far, and as always, feel free to leave C&C. See you in the next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I didn't own these characters or settings in the first four chapters, so what makes you think I do now?**

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><p><strong>Adventures in Womanhood<strong>  
>by Ranchan2k3<p>

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><p>At the dungeon used to hold those who break the law in Joketsuzoku until such time as the Council decides what to do with them, two guards stand at the entrance, fine warriors who had attained second and third place in the Amazon tournament a few weeks ago that Shampoo had won, the day that Ranma had arrived in the village. One is large and mannish, while the other is a closer match to the mental images conjured up by the term "Amazon," a large woman who is nonetheless quite shapely and lovely, a bronze goddess, as the more poetically inclined observer would describe her. They snap to attention at the approach of Elder Qiu Tiep, saluting her by placing their right fists on their left upper chests. "Ma'am," comes the simultaneous greeting.<p>

Qiu Tiep waves them off. "I wish to have a word with the prisoner."

The guards nod, then step aside, allowing the Elder to enter. The old woman finds the cell in question, and in it resides Conditioner. The Elder grimaces at the girl's condition; clearly she'd gotten the worst of it from the Saotome child. Conditioner was currently chained against the wall, cut up and bruised, her Amazon outfit exchanged for an animal skin top and bottom designed both to look dirty and to cover only the bare minimum, humiliation of the prisoner being the primary goal when this outfit was stitched together. Schooling her features to a mask of calmness, the Elder addresses Conditioner. "You have failed, Conditioner."

Conditioner winces as if she'd been slapped. "The outsider...he...she was far stronger than I anticipated."

Q-Tip scowls. "Bah! Excuses. Your job as a White Tiger was to annihilate the boy. As such, you should have approached him with your full power from the very beginning."

Conditioner snaps her head up to meet the Elder's gaze. "But that's just it, Elder! I did!"

Q-Tip snorts. "Impossible. There is no way a mere outsider male is stronger than one of my White Tigers, especially one that I trained myself."

Conditioner shakes her head vigorously, desperation in her eyes. "But she is! I...I shot an arrow at her from ambush. I didn't announce myself first, and I'm sure she didn't know I was there. She was lost in thought. But...but she still managed to dodge the arrow! Distracted, unaware of my presence, but she dodged my arrow! And her strength...her skill...such _speed_...! It felt like I was fighting an Elder, not an outsider male."

Q-Tip pauses at hearing this. "...I...see. You would swear before the Goddess that the child is just as strong as you say, that you were not holding back in the slightest?"

Conditioner nods. "Even under the effects of a truth potion, Elder. It is just as I have said."

Q-Tip frowns, grasping her chin in thought. "...This will call for a change of plans. If what you say is true, then the child is abnormally gifted. It may require personal intervention on my part to see that the child is expelled. But such cannot take place at the present time. The Council must be brought around to see the truth of the child's intentions. And if they cannot..." She nods. "Very well. Conditioner, I come to inform you of the Council's decision. For the crime of what they are calling an unprovoked assault, you are to be banished from the village, your memory erased so that you cannot remember us or our secrets. I am sorry, child. I voted against this, but the remaining five members of the Council voted in favor of it. Cologne in particular voiced her anger at your actions against the Saotome child. Until something happens to change their mind, the Council's decision is, unfortunately, final." And with that, Q-Tip turns and makes her way out of the dungeon, leaving a grief-stricken Conditioner to ponder a life without her friends and family in the village.

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><p>"Ranma, what is that you are doing?" Ranma looks up from her seated position on the ground outside Cologne's hut, spying Shampoo. "Oh, hey, Shampoo. I'm tackling the problem of the Chestnut Fist in a different way, so I don't risk running through half my supply of shirts before I learn it." She grins, then turns back to her work. Next to her rests an empty fish tank, and she is currently in the process of assembling several fish-catching "nets" made of a wire loop and rice paper.<p>

Shampoo inspects one of the fish catchers curiously. "How is this supposed to help you, Ranma?"

Ranma grins. "It's a game that festivals have back in my home country. Ya see these little rice paper fish nets here? They're designed to tear from the weight of the water if you're too slow pullin' 'em out."

Understanding dawns on her purple-haired friend. "Oh, I see! The idea is to catch fish without letting the rice paper tear." She giggles. "Clever, Ranma, and certainly a less dangerous way of learning the technique."

"Just call me Ranma Saotome, Super Genius." She cackles maniacally, then turns back to her work. Shampoo giggles, shaking her head at the antics of her red-haired friend.

Cologne pogos up to them. "Greetings, Shampoo. Ranma. Hard at work, I see."

"Hey, Granny. Yup! I figured out a way I can learn the Kacchu Tenshin Amaguriken without havin' to burn up half my wardrobe in a fire."

Cologne raises an eyebrow. "Do tell."

Ranma holds up one of the finished rice paper nets. "The fish catching game that festivals in Japan often have."

Cologne considers, then nods, grinning a bit. "An unorthodox solution to the problem, but it would certainly teach you the technique. And in a way that will allow me to keep my supply of burn salve stored away."

Ranma snorts. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Granny."

Cologne cackles, then clears her throat, turning serious. "I came to inform you that the Council reached a decision regarding Conditioner's attack against you last night, Ranma. The vote was 5 to 1. She is to be banished from the village with her memory of this place erased."

Ranma grimaces on hearing that. "Sucks that it's gotta be done, but she brought it on herself, I guess."

The Elder nods. "Indeed. When questioned about her motives, she would say nothing. Even under the effects of a truth potion, she would only say that she was attempting to expel an outsider male that was looking to deceive the tribe, infiltrate us, and then subvert the lot of us."

Ranma looks aghast. "WHAT? No freakin' way! I'd never do that, even if I **hadn't **turned into a girl at Jusenkyo!"

Cologne makes placating motions with her hands. "Calm down. I know that, child, as do most of the others in the village. Still, it is painfully obvious that there is a faction within our midst that disagrees. That this faction would include at least one member of our elite White Tigers disturbs me. I believed Elder Q-Tip to have a firmer control of her charges than that. Either she doesn't, and certain members of her squad have become rebellious, or she does, and she instigated the whole thing. Regardless, this matter will bear investigating."

Ranma sighs, shaking her head, then meets Cologne's gaze. "This is what I was tryin' to tell you after you told me about the Kiss of Marriage and Kiss of Death laws a couple weeks ago. This anti-outsider stance - and especially the anti-male stance - that you guys have had is only gonna create problems. They create one of just two possibilities: A sore loser tryin' to kill somebody who's only crime was bein' a better fighter, or a marriage bein' kicked off by what amounts to physical abuse. They might've been a good idea 3,000 years ago, but that was 3,000 years ago."

The Elder nods her agreement. "I quite agree, Ranma. It is past time that those laws were either changed or outright abolished. Alas, I have yet to bring the others around to my way of thinking. Perhaps this incident with Conditioner may supply the impetus necessary to look into getting those laws taken off the books at last."

"I hope so, Granny. I really, really hope so."

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><p><em>One week later...<em> Cologne is in her study, writing in her diary. Abruptly, the peace is shattered by a high pitched shriek from elsewhere in the hut. Cologne jerks her head up. '_That sounded like Ranma...I wonder what the matter is_,' the Elder thinks to herself. Taking up her staff, Cologne mounts it, then pogos off to Ranma's room. Once there, she finds Ranma on her knees, her inner thighs wet with a red liquid and a look of panic on her face.

"G-Granny...! I...I'm bleedin'...down there. What's wrong with me? A-Am I dyin' or somethin'?"

Cologne, realizing the problem, does her best to smother a chuckle before answering. "No, child, you aren't dying," she replies gently. "You are simply going through a natural part of womanhood. Tell me: Did your father ever explain where babies come from?"

Ranma looks confused. "U-Um...n-no, not really...h-he always said that stuff like that w-was a distraction from the Art. B-But what's that got to do with anything?"

Cologne releases a sigh. "I figured as much. Come, child. I shall escort you to the bathing area. I will explain on the way."

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><p>Some thirty minutes later, Ranma is walking around the village, escorted by Shampoo. The red-head looks rather shell-shocked. "I just...can't believe...I-I mean, I never knew...why didn't the old man ever tell me?" She looks down, placing a hand on her navel. "I can create a life here if I wanted to." There was a bit of an awed tone to her voice.<p>

Shampoo wraps an arm around Ranma's shoulders. "For what it's worth, welcome to the club."

Ranma grimaces. "Thanks." She looks over at Shampoo. "How do girls deal with this? It's just so...so completely _gross_."

The Amazon nods sympathetically. "Yes, it is. You just get used to it. You're right, it sucks, but there's not a lot that can be done about it."

Ranma shivers. "And to think the old man used to say girls are _weak_. Ugh! Thank God I mastered the Kacchu Tenshin Amaguriken before this started. I couldn't imagine tryin' to focus enough to pull it off while dealin' with cramps."

Shampoo giggles. "Yes, that would make it difficult, wouldn't it? How is Great Grandmother's herbal remedy working?"

Ranma sighs. "Well, the symptoms aren't _completely _gone, but at least I can function. I'll be glad as hell when this is over in a few days. Granny says she's gonna teach me a new technique when my p-period is over with, to give me somethin' to look forward to if I just grin an' bear it."

Shampoo blinks. "Ooh, really? Did she say what technique?"

Ranma shakes her head. "No. She said she wanted it to be a surprise. All she'd say was that I needed to be able to control my emotions, and bein' all hormonal an' cranky ain't the right condition to be in to learn the technique."

Shampoo blinks, then her eyes widen when she realizes what technique Cologne has in mind. She then grins. "I think I know what technique she has in mind, but I won't ruin the surprise. If I'm right, I think you'll like it very much, once you've learned it."

"Well, if you say s-"

A male voice interrupts them. "SHAMPOO!" Suddenly, Ranma is glomped by a tall boy in white robes with long black hair, his glasses pushed up onto his forehead.

Ranma growls. "DAMMIT, Mousse, I'm NOT SHAMPOO!" _WHOMP!_The boy is driven into the ground by Ranma's fist.

Shampoo scowls at the boy. "Stupid Mousse, why are you bothering us?"

Mousse rises, then lowers his glasses onto his face. "Oh, it's you, Ranma. Sorry about that." He turns to Shampoo, then lunges at her. "SHAM-!" He's cut off as Shampoo kicks him in the face, sending him flying.

"Go away, Mousse! We want nothing to do with you!" Shampoo grabs Ranma's hand. "Let's go, Ranma. Stupid Mousse can just be stupid by himself." Then she stalks off, dragging Ranma behind her.

'_Better him than me_,' Ranma muses to herself. '_Still, that guy needs to learn to leave his glasses on and change his approach. One of these days, he's gonna do that to the wrong person at the wrong time an' get turned into paste. I'll hafta speak with him about that at some point. In private._' With only a glance back in the direction Mousse was kicked to, Ranma allows herself to be dragged off by Shampoo.

_**End Chapter 5.**_

**Author's Notes:** The first appearance of Mousse! And Ranma's first period! I felt like injecting a little humor into this one. Hope it worked. As always, feel free to leave C&C. See you in the next chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own any of the recognizable characters or settings used in this story. If I did, do you think I'd be writing fanfictions?

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><p><strong>"Adventures in Womanhood"<strong>

by Ranchan2k3

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

_Hey._

_The name's Ranma Saotome. Granny Cologne suggested I should keep a journal. Somethin' about not repeatin' my past mistakes or somethin' along those lines. I don't really get it, but she hasn't steered me wrong yet, so what the hey._

_I guess the first thing I should say is that I'm a girl, but I wasn't born that way. Thanks to the magic waters of a training ground called Jusenkyo, my manhood is gone. Probably forever, though I keep holding out hope that I'll find a cure one day, even if it turns out to be many years down the road._

_After that, leaving my father-turned-panda in the care of the Jusenkyo guide, I ended up here, in Joketsuzoku. It's a village of Chinese Amazons. I know, I know, it sounds screwy when ya say it out loud, but trust me, it's the truth. I've been here for about a month an' a half now, learning how to be a woman and still be a strong warrior. "Adapt, adopt, and improve," as they say._

_It was just as I was beginning to train in some of the more advanced Amazon techniques - specifically, the Kacchu Tenshin Amaguriken - when I was attacked by an Amazon girl named Conditioner. When I told Granny about it, she was concerned, but told me she'd investigate, and hoped it was only a fluke. Seems that girl was a member of the White Tigers. They're basically the elite around here, the Amazon Special Forces. If they need it infiltrated or destroyed yesterday, they send in the White Tigers. The girl was banished from the village with her memory of the place wiped. All of us - me, Granny, and Shampoo - hoped that was it, that it was just a case of one girl and her prejudices._

_Stupid of us. We should've known the kami wouldn't let me off that easy._

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><p>It had been two weeks since Conditioner's banishment from the village. In that time, Ranma had really gotten into the training; she mastered the Chestnut Fist, then went ahead and learned the Breaking Point. She'd even invented her own ki blast, using her re-established feelings of confidence as the means to manipulate her ki and fuel the blast. She named it the Moko Takabisha - Pride of the Fierce Tiger - both to acknowledge that it was fueled by confidence and as something of a jab at the group Conditioner had belonged to prior to being banished.<p>

Unfortunately, she forgot that the average Amazon doesn't take well to verbal jabs, particularly from outsiders, and that that was especially the case with the White Tigers.

And, of course, "not taking it well" generally means "flying into a homicidal rage."

* * *

><p>"...So. I'm gonna guess that you guys are a little bit annoyed at me."<p>

This comment came from Ranma, who at the moment was dodging around the simultaneous attacks of six - yes, _six_ - members of the White Tigers. It was supposed to be just an ordinary afternoon. After completing her chores for Cologne, she'd gone off to practice. It was after only a few minutes in the training area just a short walk from the village that she'd been attacked, six armed members of the White Tigers going after her all at once.

They were masked and hadn't introduced themselves, but they all wore the same uniform that Conditioner had. That told Ranma all she needed to know, but nothing really about their motives. And they didn't seem particularly talkative.

One of their sword slashes came a little too close for Ranma's comfort, slicing through the material of Ranma's shirt sleeve. Fortunately, the shirt was loose enough that it hadn't hit skin, but the message had been received.

"Alright, fine. You wanna play it hard? Lets play it hard."

Abruptly, she struck the ground with a finger.

"Bakusai Tenketsu!"

The ground beneath Ranma's feet exploded, sending the six members of the White Tigers flying. Taking advantage of the dust and debris, Ranma blurred forward, catching one of the girls with a right cross to the jaw that spun her around with a sharp _crack_ that signified a broken jaw, followed by a roundhouse kick that put her down for the count.

"One down."

A dagger was thrown at her as the dust settled. She leaned out of the way, snagging it out of the air by the handle, then whirled and threw it back at a downward angle. A shriek was heard as the dagger plunged into the Amazon's foot, though the shriek was quickly silenced as a hard backhanded punch to the temple put her down, out cold.

"Two down."

The remaining four attacked en masse, going after Ranma with spears. Catching the first spear, Ranma dodged around the second, then smashed her fist through the spear shaft. '_Hmm...those weapons are supercharged with ki_,' she thought to herself while dodging the other two. '_That's an Amazon Elder trick; they do it with their canes. These girls aren't good enough to have done it themselves. Which Elder did it, though?_' She caught another spear thrust and broke that one as well, then planted a foot in the weapon user's stomach with a thrusting side-kick.

'_Elder Q-Tip, that's who it feels like_,' she noted, absently dodging an enraged tackle from one of the Amazons. '_She's supposed to be the White Tigers' boss. I'll hafta let Granny know. Either Q-Tip has lost control of these girls or she's behind the whole damn thing._' With a graceful backflip, Ranma leapt clear of the disorganized group of girls. Her battle aura flaring, she cupped her hands, then formed the spherical energy matrix for her signature ki blast. "Sorry, girls, the spar was fun, but I should be getting back now. MOKO TAKABISHA!" Thrusting her hands forward, she fired off the blast, sending the remainder of the girls into unconscious as the blast exploded with concussive force. With an exhale, Ranma turned, then fled back to the village.

* * *

><p>"And that's what happened, Granny."<p>

Cologne sat back, pondering what Ranma had just told her. Following Ranma's impromptu battle with the White Tigers, she'd returned to the village and found Cologne in her study, then told her everything that had happened at the training ground. It was troubling in more ways than one. As Ranma had surmised, either Q-Tip had lost control of the girls that were supposed to be under her direct command, or she had orchestrated the entire incident. The first would mean that Q-Tip would have to be replaced, a proposal that would no doubt be responded to as if it was a direct insult to the Elder and her capabilities. The second was far worse; it meant that Q-Tip was actively defying the will of the Council.

Troubling indeed.

"I shall investigate the situation, Ranma," Cologne finally replied. "You are quite correct in your evaluation, and either case gives me cause for much concern. The latter more than the former. If Q-Tip is behind this attack, then that would imply she was behind Conditioner's attack two weeks ago as well. That would suggest that Q-Tip is actively defying the Council's ruling and is doing all she can to eliminate you without exposing her hand in the matter. If her White Tiger's fail, I fear she may decide to take matters into her own hands." Cologne stroked a lock of her hair in thought, then nodded. "Very well. We shall be advancing the pace of your training, Ranma. You will need to be prepared to face the full might of an Elder if my fears prove true. You are skilled and powerful, yes, but I do not think you are ready yet for the task of facing the leader of the White Tigers. We shall begin tomorrow."

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><p><em>She wasn't kidding, either. We started this morning. I still hurt, and it's been 12 hours since then. She worked me hard, and she also started showin' me the fine points of pressure point combat. She estimates that in a week or so I'll be ready to start learnin' the Hiryu Shoten Ha, a technique that uses your opponent's own anger - or lust, that works, too - to trap them in a freaking tornado that uses their own power against 'em. It's pretty much an ace in the hole, providing your opponent doesn't figure out how to counter it.<em>

_Her description of the thing sounds really awesome. I can't wait for a chance to use it._

_Anyway, on less of a fighting-for-my-life front, I've been workin' on Mousse, this guy who's hopelessly in love with my friend and sparring partner, Cologne's great grand-daughter, Shampoo. Trouble is, he's also hopelessly vain and hopelessly inept, the end result being that he refuses to wear his glasses and ends up glomping everything around him under the mistaken impression that it's actually Shampoo. He's even glomped ME a few times, though after I pounded him pretty severely a few times, he developed a hesitation about glomping anyone who wears red. Heh._

_Although thinkin' about that brings to mind a problem I've tried to avoid thinkin' about, but I'll hafta face it eventually. What am I gonna do about romance? I haven't noticed any attraction to guys, but I have been noticin' girls. Does that make me a pervert? Could I find a girl who wouldn't mind bein' with me? And if I can, could I bring myself to do...that...using a female body?_

_God, I'm not ready for this crap._

_Stupid old man._

_I'll hafta put those thoughts on the shelf for now, though I know already I'll be forced to think about it at least once a month during those delightful few days we have. Ugh...and to think Pop had me convinced that girls are weak. I swear I spent most of my first one curled around a hot water bottle and whimpering. Granny says my next one won't be so bad, that this first one was just catchin' up on a few years of missed monthlies._

_I hope and pray she wasn't just sayin' that to make me feel better._

_The idea that girls put up with that disgusting crap every month from puberty until old age has convinced me that girls are a heck of a lot stronger than I ever gave 'em credit for. It also threw a match on the gasoline soaked pile of crap that Pop piled into my head about the supposed 'place' of a woman. That's what helped me get my confidence back, by the way. That and the knowledge of WHY those few days happen every month, what the eventual goal is: pregnancy and childbirth. I've seen what I've got down there in this form. I can't imagine how excruciatingly painful it is to squeeze a 7 or 8 pound baby out of a hole that size._

_And Pop said girls are weak? Bah! He was stupid for thinkin' that, and I was just as stupid for believin' him._

_Maybe that's why the kami decided to give me this new body. I was turnin' into one massively sexist macho jerk. Knowin' how wrong Pop was about girls got me to wonderin' about what else he was wrong about, like education. So I've been spending a large portion of my free time in the village's library. I couldn't believe how little I knew! I was bein' baffled by things in a first grade textbook! Gah. Granny thinks maybe Pop was doin' it on purpose; keep me stupid an' isolated, so I could stay under his control and not realize there were better options out there. His perfect meal ticket and his road to a comfortable retirement. She could be right, and it would explain a lot more about the reason for Pop's particular change._

_In any case, I don't intend to STAY stupid. I've been makin' big progress, and Granny says I'll be ready for stuff at my own grade level really soon. I still intend to track down Mom, even if I'm not sure how I'll prove I'm really her kid, but I'll figure it out. Even if she can't accept me as her daughter, she at least deserves to know what happened to her husband and son._

_Before that, though, I'm gonna fix what Pop broke in terms of my education, and master Amazon Wu-Shu._

_And if Granny's right about Q-Tip, I intend to be ready for her._

_After all, Ranma Saotome doesn't lose._

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><p><em><strong>End of Chapter 6.<strong>_

**Author's Notes:** I decided to try something slightly different with this chapter by having Ranma start up a journal. If it's well received, I'll do it in other chapters. If not, oh well, it was an experiment, and I'll know to avoid it in future chapters. Review and leave C&C. I hope you all like what I wrote, and look forward to Chapter 7! ^_^


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER:** Seventh verse, same as the first.

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><p><strong>"Adventures in Womanhood"<strong>

by Ranchan2k3

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

_Wow, has it really been four and a half months since I wrote in this thing? Guess I got busier than I expected to. Anyway, I suppose I should get you caught up on what I've been up to since my last entry._

_As I said then, Granny Cologne has been running me ragged to get me ready for Elder Q-Tip. Pressure point combat, the finer points of Amazon wu-shu hand-to-hand, weapons training. I even got Mousse to teach me Hidden Weapons. I'm nowhere near as good at it as he is - and yeah, it burns me to admit that - but I have a pretty good practical arsenal: a few daggers, paired tonfa, some shuriken, a katana, and a kusarigama. I've even taken to a change of clothing now, with weights sewn into it. A black gakuran, customized with the kanji for male - "otoko" - emblazoned in red on the left sleeve. Yep, weighted clothing. You can laugh, but it works._

_Anyway, after six months in the village, it came time to test whether I was good enough for a mastery in Amazon wu-shu. Surprise, surprise, Q-Tip took this as the perfect opportunity to get rid of me._

_Too bad for her, she didn't know Granny Cologne was searching through her hut while she was occupied with me._

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><p>Most of the village residents were standing in a circle, anticipating what promised to be a truly once-in-a-lifetime contest. The challenge log had been eschewed for this, it being deemed insufficient for a proper demonstration of the skills for these two combatants. Facing each other were the scheduled opponents: Elder Q-Tip, leader of the elite White Tigers, and Ranma Saotome, the most promising martial arts prodigy seen in the village in generations. Elected to watch over the contest was Elder Mouthwash, who spoke up loud enough for all those in attendance to hear. "This contest is to determine if the one called Ranma Saotome has progressed enough in the knowledge of our Art to be declared a master. The rules are as follows. Anything is legal save for killing blows. Victory is to be obtained by submission or knock-out. Elder Q-Tip, are you ready?"<p>

"Of course."

"Ranma Saotome, are you ready?"

Ranma smirked. "I've been waitin' to take this old ghoul down for a _long_ time."

"Then let the match...BEGIN!"

Suddenly, the two became an impossible to track blur. There was a loud crash of impact, accompanied by a shockwave that knocked the first row of spectators off their feet, followed by half a dozen more impacts. Then, the two became visible again, back in their starting positions and in their individual stances.

Q-Tip smiled, narrowing her eyes. "Well, well. It appears you have some modicum of skill after all, _boy_. But you are still a hundred years too young to face someone like me."

Ranma's face bore a confident smirk. "Y'know, I keep hearin' that, but it always sounds to me like an excuse to back down from the fight. If ya wanna quit, just say so."

"Insolent whelp! It's time you were shown your place."

"Yeah, yeah. You gonna come at me or what?"

The two charged at each other, once more exchanging blows. A glancing blow with Q-Tip's cane came at the cost of a roundhouse kick to the head from Ranma. A quick flurry of the Chestnut Fist from Ranma was countered with the same from Q-Tip. Finally, with a loud shockwave-generating crash of forearm meeting forearm, the two warriors split apart again.

"Is that all ya got? I didn't even feel that."

"Resilient _and_ annoying. Two traits I find particularly bothersome in a mere male, especially an outsider."

Ranma rolled her eyes. "You sound like a broken record." With a flick of her wrists, a pair of tonfa appeared in her grasp, which she assumed a stance with. "Besides, if ya wanna trade insults, trust me, I got a _lot_ more material to work with than you do, ya dried up old mummy. Seriously, when's the last time you went on a date? Sometime during the reign of King Tut?"

Q-Tip growled, then dashed forward, attempting to impale Ranma on her cane. Ranma spun around the strike, then lashed out with her tonfa, spinning the weapons into the Elder's head and torso with devastating impact. As the Elder laid in the dirt, a collective gasp was heard from the assembled crowd of onlookers. Q-Tip staggered to her feet, then looked up, blinking as she noticed that Ranma was nowhere to be seen. A sneer curled her lip. "So! The outsider is revealed to be a coward after all!"

Ranma's voice was suddenly heard, echoing from every direction at once. "Actually, I'm right here." Flabbergasted, Q-Tip looked quickly left and right, stunned that she was unable to see or sense Ranma. The red-head's voice continues in a mocking tone. "See, nobody in the village knew this, 'cause I was real careful about it, but when I left my Pop with the Jusenkyo guide, I had in my pack a couple of scrolls detailing two devastating martial arts forms that my old man invented. He called 'em the Umisen-ken and the Yamasen-ken. I'll probably never use 'em again after this, but I just felt like showin' you what a 'mere' outsider male can come up with in the pursuit of the Art. Just a small taste. This little trick here is called the Thief's Veil, and is part of the Umisen-ken form. Judging by that stupid look on your face, I'm guessin' you're shocked. And now, for my next trick, a special attack from the Yamasen-ken form."

Suddenly, she faded into view some distance to the side. "Kijin Raishu Dan!" With a swing of her arm, she hurled a blade of pure vacuum towards the Elder. Q-Tip flinched, but the attack hit her cane, not her. Unfortunately for Q-Tip, this resulted in a cane that was cleaved into kindling. Q-Tip stared in shock at this. That cane was 200 years old. Fortified with ki. Yet it was now little more than firewood. A grin came to Ranma's face. "The Demon God Assault Bomb. Ya like it? There's more, but I'm sure you get the general idea."

Q-Tip turned back to Ranma, then growled. "That was meant to be a killing blow. Such is forbidden in this contest, _boy_."

Ranma scoffed. "I was aimin' for your cane and you know it, old ghoul. Mouthwash knows it, too, or else she'd've called the match already. But speaking of Elders, I'm surprised you haven't asked where Granny Cologne is. After all, she's been teachin' me, so she should be here, right? Where, oh where, has my little sensei gone? Oh where, oh where can she be?"

Q-Tip just looked confused. Suddenly, Cologne's voice spoke up from within the crowd. "Stop the match! I have vital information for the Council!"

A curious Mouthwash turned as Cologne came pogoing up on her staff. "Yes, Elder Cologne? What could be so important as to stop a ranking challenge?"

Cologne hopped down from her cane in front of Mouthwash. "Evidence that places the motives of Elder Q-Tip in question, Elder Mouthwash."

Q-Tip turned pale. Mouthwash looked interested. "Explain."

Cologne nodded, then reached into her robes, producing a leatherbound book. "For some time now, young Ranma here has faced challenges from the members of the White Tigers, each more challenging than the last. The evidence convinced me that either Elder Q-Tip had lost control of her charges, or she was striving to eliminate Ranma from behind the scenes. To determine the Elder's guilt or innocense, I searched her home and came upon her diary." Cologne handed it over to Mouthwash. "I was shocked to discover that she has been planning a hostile takeover of the village. She feels that we have become entirely too welcoming of outsiders as of late, and so she was plotting to use the White Tigers as her instrument to forcefully depose the other five Elders from the Council."

Mouthwash opened the diary, scanning through it thoughtfully. After a few minutes, she closed it, then turned to Q-Tip. "Your answer to these accusations?"

Q-Tip could only gape like a fish out of water. Mouthwash nodded. "So be it, then. Q-Tip, you are hereby removed from your seat on the Council while we investigate these charges. As for this match, I believe Ranma has shown herself to be a match - and more - for anything you can produce. Therefore, I hereby declare Ranma Saotome the victor of this match, an official master of Amazon wu-shu. Her name shall be added to the village roster as a true Amazon Sister. Let all in the village know her as Nyu Luan Ma, a true Amazon warrior! So mote it be!"

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><p><em>She meant every word, too. I'm an Amazon now, officially. Q-Tip was investigated, and yeah, she was found guilty. She was given the same punishment Conditioner received, plus the Ultimate Weakness Moxibustion pressure point. Apparently even lifting a gallon of milk will require every ounce of her strength now. Harsh, but she brought it on herself.<em>

_But I couldn't stay in the village. I needed to get back in contact with my Mom. Cologne and Shampoo volunteered to come with me. We took a boat to get over. Customs in China found it amusing that my passport got the height, hair color, and gender wrong, but they weren't so quick to accept it in Japan. They did have to admit that my fingerprints were a perfect match to the ones on file, so they got in touch with Mom. Nodoka Saotome, they told me her name was._

_It was quite the scene when we met for the first time in the interview room._

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><p>"Ranma...?"<p>

Looking over, Ranma blinked upon seeing the woman in the doorway. She was tall, in her late 30's, but still attractive, her coppery red hair put up in a bun. She wore a formal kimono and carried a long wrapped bundle, one which Ranma instinctively knew to be a katana. The red-head stood up. "Mom?"

Nodoka hesitated. "I...I don't quite understand. The child that left me was a boy. You are a girl. And yet..." She bit her bottom lip for a moment. "And yet, they tell me your fingerprints are a perfect match for my son's. How...?"

"Would you believe magic?"

Nodoka blinked. "Magic?"

The red-head nodded, then explained about Jusenkyo and what had happened to herself and Genma there. Nodoka paled noticeably. She could actually see her husband being impatient enough to do something like that. He always wanted immediate results. She licked her lips. "Do...Do you have any way to prove that what you say is true?" Wordlessly, Ranma handed over a brochure about Jusenkyo, this one in Japanese. The Shonmaoneechuan and Nyanniichuan springs were circled inside it.

Nodoka set the brochure aside after paging through it. "...There was a contract I had with Genma, the only condition under which I would agree to let him take my son training."

Ranma blinked a bit. "Contract?"

Nodoka nodded. "Yes. It said...that he was to raise my son to be a man among men...and if he failed...both he and my son were to commit seppuku."

Ranma turned pale. Then she firmed up her courage and bowed her head, closing her eyes. "...I see. He never told me. Now I understand why he was always so insistent on me bein' manly." She sighed. "...I'm ready to do what honor demands. If you feel you can't accept me as your child simply because of my gender, then it's just not worth the pain to continue this life. I'm just sad that I couldn't get to know you before I go...Mom."

Nodoka's eyes turned misty. She'd brought that up on the off chance that this girl was some imposter, but the fact she was willing to go through with it...that meant she wasn't. This girl...was Ranma. Her child had returned, magically altered, but no less a man despite the fact that he was now a she. The older woman drew Ranma into a firm embrace. "My daughter...the pact is fulfilled. You are a man, an honorable and good man, and I won't hear a word saying otherwise."

Turning teary-eyed herself, Ranma returned Nodoka's embrace. "Mom...I'm home..."

"Yes, Ranma. You're home. Welcome back, my precious child."

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><p><em>I still can't believe she accepted me. I'm home again. Home at last. Cologne and Shampoo plan to open a restaurant here to support themselves. Mom made the appropriate changes to the Saotome registry.<em>

_She tells me I'll be starting classes at Furinkan High School tomorrow._

_School. Well, at least I'll be among kids my own age. How bad could it be?_

_**End Chapter 7.**_

**Author's Notes:** Yes, I skipped through the rest of Ranma's stay in Joketsuzoku. There wasn't really much else I could cover and still keep it interesting. So starting next chapter, she'll be dipping her toe into the pool of craziness called Nerima. Look forward to it. I know I am. Ja! ^_^


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER:** Hey, Takahashi-sensei? I'm borrowing the kids for a while. Don't worry, I'll have them dry-cleaned and folded neatly before I return them. Thanks.

**"Adventures in Womanhood"**

by Ranchan2k3

**Chapter 8**

_Hey, you know how I said last time, "How bad could it be?" Do me a favor. Next time I say something like that, form a hand or something and slap me until I become sensible again._

_So, yeah, I finally started classes at Furinkan High School. I was already dreading it just because I'll be attending as a girl, but once I arrived at the grounds, things went from bad to worse._

_It started with the bizarre sight of a bunch of armed guys charging at this one girl while shouting declarations of undying love for her. I may not know much about girls, but I know that's not how ya get one to agree to a date. So I stepped in. In retrospect, that may not have been the best idea..._

In the Nerima ward of Tokyo's Furinkan High School, there is one aspect of school life that had become daily routine over the last several months. Specifically, it was The Fight. This fight came about because of a girl. Akane Tendo, heir to the Tendo School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts. She was quite skilled in her Art, at least compared to her peers, and fairly attractive and nice, too. This had caught the attention of a kendoist, the captain of the school's kendo club, a boy in the grade above hers named Tatewaki Kuno. Unfortunately, he was rather delusional and egotistical, and so when he approached her to inquire about a date, using his usual flowery prose to illustrate his manliness, Akane had turned him down. His delusional pride had allowed him to convince himself that she was merely playing hard to get, and so he simply tried harder. Eventually, this escalated to her actually having to fight him. He convinced himself that she was just working through her maidenly shyness, and thus, at a special school assembly, he made a speech in which he said that only those who could defeat Akane in combat would be allowed to date her. He would permit absolutely no other terms.

Since Akane was quite popular and desired among the boys of the school, this led to The Fight. Every morning before classes, Akane would have to wade through at least thirty boys, ending with Kuno. Since Kuno's father happened to be the Principal, and something of a nutcase himself, nothing was done about it.

And this continued.

Every morning.

Leaving Akane with the firm conviction that all boys are perverts.

And so it was that, as happened every morning, Akane was charging towards the school, muttering a mantra of "hate boys, hate boys, hate boys" under her breath as a horde of boys armed with various weapons and sports equipment came rushing out to meet her.

Then the unexpected happened.

A black and red blur came darting out in front of Akane, resolving itself into a smallish red-haired girl in Chinese garb with a black gakuran jacket over it. She had her right hand brought back, glowing slightly with ki. With a mighty swing of her arm, she kicked up a gust of wind that knocked the whole horde off their feet, leaving a stunned Akane to stand there and gape.

An unearthly silence descended upon the grounds. Finally, the red-head spoke. "Excuse me. Could one of you explain just what the **HELL** you all think you're doing?"

Watching from the window of her classroom, Akane's older sister, Nabiki, was stunned. On the one hand, nobody had bet on someone butting in on the fight, so this had just become the most profitable morning for her in months. But on the other hand, this new girl had just put the entire Horde on their backs with a literal wave of her hand.

'_I don't know who you are, Red, but I'm going to find out, you can bet on that_,' Nabiki thinks to herself.

Back outside, Tatewaki Kuno stepped out from behind a tree, dressed in his usual kendo garb and with his bokken in hand. "What fair vision of loveliness is this...?"

The red-head interrupted. "Are you the one responsible for this reprehensibly dishonorable display?"

Kuno jerked, offended. "Dishonorable? By what right do you insult me so?"

A growl answered him. "By the right of common decency, jerkwad. Now answer the question."

The kendoist drew himself up proudly. "By your manner, I see that thou art lacking much in the way of education. Very well, permit me to open thine eyes and meet thy uncultured words with the answer you seek. Verily have I sought to date with the beauteous Akane Tendo, the fierce tigress that stands behind you. Alas, her maidenly shyness will not permit her to bask in the glory of my manliness as I know she desires to. Thus, I, Tatewaki Kuno, Captain of the Furinkan High School kendo club, the undefeated rising star of the high school fencing world, known to all as the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, age 17, have stated that none may date her save he who defeats her. Not even a most fair pig-tailed goddess such as yourself may stand in the way of my fated union with my tigress."

The red-head raised an eyebrow. "Are ya finished? Good. Now, let me explain somethin' to you about girls, bub. And guys, too, while I'm at it. Ya see, if a girl says no, and uses her fists to do so, it ain't 'maidenly shyness.' It means she hates yer guts. Furthermore, what makes ya think any of these idiots would stop if they actually _did_ manage to beat Akane? And why would Akane believe that _you'd_ stop at just a date if _you_ managed to beat her? As far as she knows, she's protecting herself from a giant group of potential molesters. And you're the organizer. The molester-in-chief, ya might say."

Kuno scowled. "You dare question the purity of my motives?"

"I dare question the purity of your intelligence," came the retort. "Look, man. You seem to think you're a samurai. Exactly what part of the samurai code says it's okay to attack a girl when she turns down a date with you?"

"Enough!" Kuno pointed his bokken at her. "I'll not stand here and permit you to besmirch me in public in such a fashion!" He charged forward with a mighty downward swing of his bokken...only to be surprised when she caught the wooden blade between both hands.

The red-head smirked. "I am Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, and I accept..." She jerked her hands to the side, breaking his blade, then lashed out with an upwards thrusting side-kick into the underside of his jaw, sending him flying back to land hard on his back. "...your challenge." She tossed the broken bokken blade aside, smiling at her fallen foe.

"I...fight on," croaked Kuno, just before he succumbed to unconsciousness.

Ranma exhaled, then turned to Akane. "You okay?" Akane just nodded dumbly, still shocked over what had just happened.

Then Ranma's words caught up to her. "Did you say...you practice Anything-Goes?"

Ranma tilted her head curiously. "Yeah, why?" She wasn't prepared for the excited squeal she got.

"No way! I do, too! I'm the heir to the Tendo School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts!"

"The Tendo branch, huh?" Ranma looked Akane over. '_Hmm...doesn't seem to have all that much training under her belt, though I gotta admit she's light years ahead of these other jokers_,' she mused. '_Maybe she's just got a lazy sensei._' Finally, Ranma nodded. "Funny coincidence, huh?"

"Yeah," agreed Akane. "Is this your first day of classes here?" At Ranma's nod, she continued, "Let me see your schedule. I can help you find your classroom." Ranma dug into her pants pocket and produced a folded up piece of paper, which she unfolded and showed to Akane. "Hey, we're in the same class! Come on, we can go together!"

Ranma chuckled, then proceeded inside with Akane.

_I'd like to tell you that things with that Kuno idiot ended there, that he realized what he was doing was wrong, and that I never had to deal with him again._

_I'd like to tell you that, but I can't lie that convincingly._

_I didn't even go the whole day without seeing him again. Lunch time found us once again in the presence of the ol' True Blunder, much to my never-ending chagrin..._

"Hold! Flame-haired Goddess, I would speak with thee!"

That voice. That hated voice brought what had up until then been a pleasant lunch between Ranma and Akane under the shade of a tree outside grinding to a halt. With a frustrated groan, Ranma turned to look back over her shoulder at the kendoist who was now approaching them. "Is there something I can help you with, Kuno?"

"Nay, for it is I who have come to assist you!"

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "How's that?"

"Thy words this morning were harsh indeed, yet I know them for what they truly are. Verily, you, too, have become smitten with the Blue Thunder's presence, but thy maidenly shyness dost not allow you to bask in my magnificence as I know you wish to do. Therefore, I doth hereby decree that none may date you save those who defeat y-"

"_**MOKO TAKABISHA!**_" A ki blast cut his declaration off, smashing him into the wall surrounding the school. Several students screamed and dove for cover. By the time Kuno pulled himself free of the rubble, he looked up to find Ranma right in front of him, holding a ki blast ready in his face. Even through his delusions, he could guess what that would do to him. While he nervously sweated, Ranma spoke, her voice utterly devoid of emotion. "Listen and listen good, Kuno, 'cause I ain't gonna repeat myself. I am not now nor have I ever been 'smitten' with you. Akane is not now nor has she ever been 'smitten' with you, either. You are an annoyance, a blight, a boil on the backside of the dirtiest portion of this school. No one looks up to you, no one admires you, no one respects you. You are delusional. You are arrogant. You are a bully. Every time you call yourself a samurai, you spit on the legacy of the truly honorable samurai all throughout Japan's history. This morning was strike one. This is strike two. You do _not_ wanna find out what happens on strike three. For your own sake, I suggest you steer clear of myself and Akane from now on. If you continue to harrass either one of us, I will shatter your wrists to the point that you cannot wield a sword ever again. This is your first, last, and _only_ warning." She dismissed the ki ball, then turned and walked back to resume her lunch with Akane.

_I don't know if he got the message, but I do know I didn't see him again for the rest of the day after that. I guess tomorrow will be the acid test._

_For his own sake, I hope he listened._

_Anyway, after school, Akane suggested I come to her home with her. I had to admit to some curiosity about the man my father trained with, so I agreed. The dojo was pretty much what I expected from my cursory examination of Akane's apparent fitness level: A nice enough training hall, but obviously not used very vigorously. A waste._

_What I didn't expect was what I learned about what my father had arranged for me regarding the Tendo branch of the school..._

"I'm home!" The call came from Akane as she stepped through the front door of the Tendo domicile.

"Pardon the intrusion," added Ranma as she followed Akane inside, the two of them removing their shoes and leaving them in the genkan.

"Oh my, we have a guest." The new voice had a gentle, maternal tone to it. In a moment, the owner of the voice came into view. It was a tall young woman with long brown hair tied into a ponytail and draped over her shoulder. She was dressed in a long, conservative dress, an apron tied on over her bottom half. The smile she directed at the two arriving girls was nothing short of angelic. "Welcome home, Akane. Who is your friend?"

"Hi, Kasumi. This is a new classmate of mine. She just started classes today." She nudged Ranma with an elbow.

Ranma cleared her throat. "I'm Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts. You must be Akane's older sister." She bowed to the older girl.

Kasumi blinked. "Anything-Goes...? Oh! You must be the daughter of Father's old training partner. It's so nice to finally meet you, Ranma. Come in, please. I'm certain Father will be delighted to see you." With a smile, Kasumi turned and escorted the two girls into the sitting room. Sitting there reading the newspaper was a tall man with long black hair and a black mustache, wearing a brown karate gi. A cigarette was dangling from his lips, a tendril of smoke drifting up from the tip.

The man looked up. "Hm? Well, now! I wasn't expecting my little girl to bring home company. Welcome, welcome. I am Soun Tendo. And you are...?"

"Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts."

Soun's eyes widened. "Saotome...?" Suddenly, he surged to his feet, dropping the newspaper as he grabbed Ranma in a hug. "At last, you're here! Oh, it's so good of you to come! So good of you to-" He suddenly stopped, realizing that he was feeling something against his chest that he wasn't expecting. He squeezed her a couple of times to make sure, then grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her away from him, staring at her in shock.

Ranma sighed. Clearly the man had been expecting a son. '_I guess it was too much to hope for that he didn't know about me_,' she thought to herself. "Um...sorry 'bout this."

"A...A girl...?" And with that, the man fainted.

Some time later, Soun returned to consciousness. He found himself gazing up at the ceiling of the sitting room, a pillow under his head and a blanket over him. A cold compress was on his forehead.

"Oh my, Father is awake." That was Kasumi, seated by Soun's head. Sitting at his side were Nabiki, Ranma, and Akane. Ranma was very carefully looking anywhere except at the others in the room.

Nabiki spoke up. "Care to explain that little fainting spell, Daddy?"

"My old friend, Genma Saotome, told me he had a son."

Nabiki reached over and grabbed one of Ranma's breasts. "Does this look like a boy to you, Daddy?"

Ranma closed her eyes. "I really wish you'd stop that." Remembering the events of this morning, Nabiki quickly retracted her hand.

Akane spoke up. "What's the big deal? Maybe you just heard him wrong, Dad."

Soun sighed. "No, I didn't. We had an agreement. We were going to join the schools by having Genma's son marry one of you three girls. That way, the Tendo family legacy would be secure."

Akane's temper exploded. "WHAT? You were going to make us marry someone we've never even met?"

"Oh, Father," chimed in Kasumi. "No wonder he was so disappointed."

Ranma spoke up. "I wasn't told about it, either. My Pop was...lost to a training accident in China."

Tears came quickly to Soun's eyes as he sat up. "I see. Then my old friend is gone...and his child is a girl..." Suddenly, he burst into a fountain of tears. "WAAAAAAAAAAAAH! SAOTOME IS DEAD! WAAAAAAAAAAH! HIS SON IS A DAUGHTER! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! NOW THE SCHOOLS WILL NEVER BE JOINED! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Ranma grimaced at the man's display. '_Good grief, no wonder Akane isn't up to par_,' she thought to herself. '_With a man like __**this**__ as her teacher, it's a miracle she's up to the level she is!_'

Akane stood up. "Would you like to see the dojo, Ranma? Maybe you can teach me a few moves."

Ranma looked up at her, then smiled and nodded.

_That was pretty much the one bright spot of the day: Akane. I ended up agreeing to teach her what I know, or at least as much of it as I think she can handle. I made sure to avoid all of Pop's teaching methods; all he would've done is dodge her and taunt her until she blew her top. That's not what she needs._

_My lesson plan for her is to work on her emotional control while refining her skills as much as I possibly can. Once that's done, I intend to start teaching her the Saotome style. My family's branch specializes in aerial combat, and I mean for her to start hitting the mid-air as soon as possible. She's got a real talent for the Art, and loads of potential. Potential I never would've noticed if I hadn't had the example of Cologne and the Amazons to teach me that girls can be just as strong as boys. Telling her what she's doing wrong is a tricky proposition, though; the girl's got a temper that ranks somewhere between nitroglycerin and a freaking H-bomb._

_Maybe I should get a cane like Cologne's. A few bonks to the head whenever she starts losing her temper might do the trick._

_Anyway, that's my first day at Furinkan High School. If the days following it are anything like this one, I swear I'll snap._

_No, Saotome. Calm down._

_Soul of Ice._

_Soul of Ice._

_..._

_Crap._

_**End Chapter 8.**_

**Author's Note:** Phew! There was a lot I wanted to get done in this chapter, but there it is. Ranma's first day at Furinkan High School. I hope it lived up to expectations. See you all in Chapter 9! Bye! ^_^


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER:** "Ranma 1/2" and its associated characters and settings are the property of Viz Media and the creation of Rumiko Takahashi. If it was mine, do you honestly think I'd be writing fanfiction?

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><p><strong>"Adventures in Womanhood"<strong>

by Ranchan2k3

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><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

_It's been said by some that first impressions are everything. There are some cases, however, where your first impression can be proven dead wrong._

_The day after I had my little..."altercation" with Tatewaki Kuno of Junior group E, I found a note from him in my shoe locker. He was requesting my presence on the soccer field at 4:00 PM after school. It wasn't worded like a challenge letter - heck, he even said "please" in the damn thing - so I wasn't worried about having to fight him again._

_Still, it was surprising to see him walk up with what appeared at first glance to be a sheathed katana..._

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><p>"Hey, Kuno. So what's this about?"<p>

The question was well deserved. It was 4:00 PM. Standing on the soccer field was Ranma, in her usual attire of Chinese clothing with a black gakuran jacket over it, and across from her was Tatewaki Kuno, holding in his grasp a sheathed katana. The upperclassman didn't have the look of insane haughtiness that he had possessed the day before; in its place was a look of utter seriousness. "Saotome-san. On the previous day, you prevented me from doing what I know now would have been a most grievous error. Thy words, though cruel, were nonetheless successful in penetrating the fog of delusional madness that I realize I had been living in. I have spent the previous evening in meditation, analyzing my own actions and comparing them with the proper code of Bushido, to see if I truly had been behaving as dishonorably as you had claimed." He looks off to the side, closing his eyes. "It was to my utter shame that I was forced to conclude that you were correct. So arrogant was I that I could conceive of no situation wherein Akane Tendo - or, indeed, any girl - might be repulsed by my very presence. I was a fool. I have brought great dishonor upon my family name."

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "So I got through after all. Good. Then what's with the sword?"

Kuno sighed, then turned to look at Ranma again. "When I realized the full gravity of my sins, I entertained the thought of seppuku in the hope of cleansing my family name of the dishonor I have brought to it. But I realized without much further thought that if you truly intended me to be dead, I would have been blasted into just so much vapor by the strange energy ball you had conjured up yesterday." That said, he unsheathed his sword. Or, rather, his half a sword. The katana's blade had been shattered. "It is said that the soul of a samurai is his sword. Mine would appear to be broken. Saotome-san, wouldst thou do this unworthy one the honor of showing me the way to mend it?"

A smile - a genuine smile - came to Ranma's face. "I'd be glad to...sempai."

* * *

><p><em>Who would've thought it a year ago? Ranma Saotome, World Heavyweight Champion of putting his foot in his mouth, actually managed to talk some sense into somebody. A delusional somebody at that.<em>

_Anyway, after being knocked down from the pedestal he'd built for himself, Kuno turned out to be really not so bad a guy. I got the story from him, and I realized the fault for his previous insanity can probably be laid at the feet of his father and his younger sister. His father's been in Hawaii for the last several years, where he ran to after his wife passed away, and his little sister tends to experiment heavily with chemicals and drugs that she makes from plants that she grows herself, many of which give off fumes that couldn't possibly be doing good things to the minds of the house's residents. At my recommendation, he took up residence in a hotel not far from the school, just to make sure he'll have the chance to keep his head clear._

_The Hentai Horde, incidentally, was taken care of the next day, by Kuno himself. You can imagine the surprised look on Akane's face when she discovered all of the Horde already K.O.'d, and Kuno standing there asking for her forgiveness._

_She put him on probation. If he does his usual thing ever again, she'll turn me loose on him, a threat I backed up by cracking my knuckles at him, since I was in agreement with the idea. He got the point._

_It was about a week after that when I got my next good surprise. Ryoga Hibiki showed up again, thinking he was in Chicago. I haven't described him to you yet, have I? Picture a guy about my age, sturdy build, brown hair and eyes, with fangs and a tiger-stripe bandana. He carries around this specially built bamboo umbrella that weighs ten times what I do, and he wields the damn thing like a one-handed sword._

_I half-wonder sometimes if the guy has Saiyan ancestry somewhere in his bloodline._

_Anyway, after we had a brief spar - I'm still a lot faster than he is, but he's improved a lot from what I remember in Junior High - we caught up on what each other has been up to. He told me he's mostly been training while he wanders around seeing the sights, like the Great Pyramids of Moscow (his wording, not mine; I know they're in Egypt, but when confronted, he swears Egypt is the home of the Eiffel Tower, not the pyramids). He then said there was a shrine he wanted to visit in Osaka for help with his direction sense...and he promptly started walking in the opposite direction. I tried to stop him, but when I got to the corner he'd turned, he'd somehow vanished._

_I wonder if the guy has a teleportation ability he doesn't know about._

_Whatever the case, it was a few days after that when I finally got to meet Kuno's little sister. I didn't realize it was her at the time, though. I was just walkin' by when I saw some girl beating the crap out of a group of bandaged up girls, and using a rhythmic gymnastics ribbon of all things to do it with..._

* * *

><p>The three injured girls in Furinkan High School gym uniforms stood warily regarding their opponent, a classy-looking girl with her long black hair in a side ponytail, wearing the tan-and-white fuku uniform of St. Hebereke's School for Girls. The girls in bandages were armed with rhythmic gymnastics clubs, while the lone girl from St. Hebereke was carrying a gym bag.<p>

The St. Hebereke girl just smiled. "Now, now, girls. Three against one? This is hardly fair." Setting down her gym bag, she unzipped it, then pulled out a rhythmic gymnastics ribbon. "You shall have to be punished. So, if I may make myself perfectly clear...!" She lashed out with the ribbon, continually whipping the three girls with it. "Take this! And this! And this! And this! And this...!"

Suddenly, a red-haired girl in Chinese clothing and a black gakuran jacket came blurring onto the scene, snatching the impossibly fast ribbon out of thin air with one hand. "Oi, don'tcha think that's enough? You won already."

The girl with the ribbon looked surprised. "You caught my ribbon. No one's ever done that before. You're no ordinary girl."

The red-head smirked. "You could say that."

The ponytailed girl dropped her ribbon, then pulled a club out of her bag. "In that case, I have no intention of holding back!" She rushed forward, jabbing the club through the space that the red-head's head had occupied. She was surprised to discover that she'd just jabbed through an afterimage, but not nearly as surprised as she was when she suddenly found herself flipping into the air, courtesy of a foot sweep from the red-head who had just ducked at a speed that was utterly impossible to follow. Recovering quickly, the girl from St. Hebereke twisted in mid-air, landing on her feet. The red-head simply turned, assuming a stance as she regarded the brunette. "You are formidable indeed." The girl produced a black rose. "Very well. I shall withdraw for now. I am Kodachi the Black Rose. Remember it!" With an insane laugh, Kodachi tossed the black rose to the red-head and bounded off across the lamp posts.

The red-head (you knew this was Ranma, right?) caught the rose and watched Kodachi bound away. "...Man. That girl is nuts." Then her attention was grabbed by the girls from Furinkan who suddenly started crying. Turning to the girls, Ranma tried to console them. "Aw, c'mon. Don't cry."

* * *

><p>Some time later, the three injured Furinkan gymnasts were assembled in Akane's room, with Akane and Ranma sitting on Akane's bed. Akane spoke up, incredulous. "She ambushed <em>all<em> you girls?"

The girls nodded. "Now we can't compete in the match next week!"

Ranma leaned forward. "What sorta match?"

"Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics."

Ranma stared at the girls as if they'd all three suddenly grown extra heads. She was tempted to laugh, but it was obvious that the gymnasts were serious. "...What."

The three of them crowded around Akane, grasping her hands. "Akane, we came to ask you to compete in our place. If we don't find a replacement, we'll have to forfeit! Please, you're our only hope!"

Ranma regarded the girls with hooded eyes. '_When did Akane become Obi-Wan, for cryin' out loud?_,' she wondered to herself.

Akane started to speak, burning fire in her eyes. "Of course-"

Ranma interrupted. "Of course you'll ask your sensei about it first, right?"

Akane shot a look at Ranma, but then wilted when the red-head matched her gaze without flinching. Akane sighed. "Of course I'll ask my sensei about it first."

Ranma nodded. "If we can get our hands on the equipment and some video footage of matches, I'll take a shot at teachin' Akane the style. If I think she's got a shot, she's in. But I wouldn't count on it."

The girls were too busy celebrating to hear the last sentence Ranma said. Ranma sighed. '_What have I gotten myself into now?_,' she thought with chagrin.

* * *

><p><em>And so, that afternoon, I started training Akane in Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics. It's a style with a complete reliance on the tools of rhythmic gymnastics: You can only attack with the tools. Attacks without a weapon are illegal. Plus, after seeing the tapes of the matches, I've come to realize that literally anything around the ring - even spectators - counts as a legal weapon. I may incorporate this style into my own arsenal, just because it meshes so well with Anything-Goes.<em>

_I can already tell it's gonna be a struggle. When we tried the clubs, Akane dropped 'em. When we tried the hoop, Akane broke it. When we tried the ribbon, Akane tangled herself up in it._

_And she's supposed to learn this style in only one week?_

_Apparently Kami-sama decided I wasn't having a hard enough time with my life here in Tokyo._

_Oh, well. Onward and upwards, as they say. I have a sneaking suspicion I may be called on to compete instead of Akane. That'd be embarrassing as all get-out, but at least I have a body that'll look good in a leotard._

_...What am I saying? Stupid female hormones! Gah!_

_Okay, I'm stopping this entry here. I need chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate._

_**End Chapter 9.**_

**Author's Notes:** And that's Chapter 9. Sorry it took so long to complete, but I needed a little extra time to figure out how to proceed with this one. I hope it turned out well. Feel free to leave reviews; they inspire me to keep the story going. And you want that, right? Of course you do. See ya in Chapter 10! ~_^


	10. Chapter 10

**Pre-Chapter Author's Mini-Rant:** After the last chapter, I received a review that was frankly rather insulting and not at all helpful, full of name-calling and complaints even more vague and tenuous than canon Kuno's grasp of reality. I'll refrain from responding to the content of this "review," mainly because there wasn't anything in it of any substance to respond to, but in the future, if you're going to leave a negative review, at least leave a name, cite specifics, and avoid being insulting so I'll know I'm not just being anonymously flamed.

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><p><strong>DISCLAIMER:<strong> Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.

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><p><strong>"Adventures in Womanhood"<strong>

by Ranchan2k3

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><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

_I've decided: I am never becoming rich. Why? Because money causes lunacy, that's why._

_At least, that's my conclusion, anyway._

_Let me explain._

_Recently, as you know, my friend Akane got recruited as the substitute opponent against Kodachi the Black Rose in a Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics contest. What you __**don't**__ know is that Kodachi heard of this and apparently decided that this was sufficient reason to attack Akane in the middle of the freaking night. I wasn't there, so I heard about it from Akane the next day. Akane's better than Kodachi in straight hand-to-hand, so she fended off Kodachi's attacks and forced her to retreat._

_Of course, that wasn't going to be the last of Kodachi's attempts at incapacitating Akane before their match. Guess who showed up at Furinkan the following morning with bad intentions in mind..._

* * *

><p>"Akane Tendo, prepare to die!," came the haughty-sounding shout of a girl as a figure descended upon Akane from the sky. Turning at the last second, Akane reached up and caught the business end of a shinai in her hand. Grasping the other end was Kodachi, in the St. Hebereke school uniform.<p>

Akane growled. "Attacking me at night wasn't bad enough, now you want to ambush me before I even get to class in the morning?!"

Kodachi huffed indignantly. "I am most assuredly not here to 'ambush' you. I am merely confirming that you are as good as the rumors say. I would also like to greet whoever you are training under."

"That would be me," spoke up a soprano from behind Kodachi, icy venom in her voice. Kodachi froze, then looked over her shoulder. Standing there was a scarily calm Ranma, eyeing Kodachi as if the St. Hebereke gymnast was little more than a piece of meat.

"You have exactly five seconds to explain to me why you're pouncing on my best friend and student with a shinai," stated Ranma in a chillingly calm tone of voice. "If I don't like you're answer, I'm mailing you back to St. Hebereke in pieces."

Kodachi sweated nervously for a moment, then produced her ribbon. "V-Very well, I have seen what I wished to. Farewell!" With an insane cackle, Kodachi twirled her ribbon, producing a shower of black rose petals. When the storm passed, Kodachi was gone.

Ranma and Akane stared at the spot Kodachi had been standing in, then at each other.

"Somethin' ain't right in that girl's head," opined the red-head. Akane could only nod in agreement.

* * *

><p><em>There was one more attempt a week later, also at school, but that time Kodachi was fended off by Kuno, her own brother! That guy is steadily earning my respect. Who knew there was an honorable samurai's soul underneath all that delusion?<em>

_I remain firmly convinced that Kuno's harrassment of Akane was the product of Kodachi's drugs._

_Anyway, time passed, and Akane got better and better at Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics. I can't believe how much potential that girl has! She'll likely never even come close to approaching my level, but she could still become one of the top five percent on the planet if she's trained properly._

_And her father just wanted her to be the housewife and pass the dojo on to me? Gah, that guy's just as sexist as my old man was. He doesn't need a male heir; the female one he's got is plenty, or would be if he'd trained her with any seriousness._

_I can tell, serious training is something she's badly wanted ever since her Mom died. She soaks it up like a sponge._

_Note to self: Beat some sense into Soun Tendo at the first opportunity._

_Ahem. Anyway, the day came for the Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics contest. Akane was ready. I attended as her second. Kodachi tried one last bit of subterfuge before the match by hiding thumbtacks between her fingers when she went for a handshake, but I spotted it in time._

_She attended the match with a bandage on her cheek._

* * *

><p>The bleachers were crowded with attendees from both Furinkan High School and St. Hebereke School for Girls, all there for the match in the St. Hebereke gym. The ring was ready (after being investigated by Ranma ten minutes prior, resulting in a flood of Kodachi's teammates being chased out of the gym) and now it was time for the contestants to be introduced.<p>

The ring announcer, of course, handled the introductions. "Introducing first, in the red corner, representing Furinkan High School, Akane Tendo!" Akane waved to the crowd as the Furinkan half cheered.

"And in the blue corner, representing St. Hebereke School for Girls, the undefeated Champion of Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics, Kodachi Kuno!" Amidst a display of fireworks and pyrotechnics, Kodachi appeared, being lowered on a trapeze with a black rose stem clutched between her teeth while a cloak draped across her shoulders. The crowd of St. Hebereke supports, naturally, went wild at the appearance of their champion. Dropping the rose, Kodachi vaulted from the trapeze, landing lightly on her feet in the ring.

The referee explained the rules, and then the match was on.

Akane opened the contest with the clubs, which Kodachi fended off with her ribbon. It only took Akane a moment to get inside the ribbon's effective range, surprising Kodachi enough for Akane to employ the club like a cudgel, bashing Kodachi on the head. The dazed gymnast stumbled, and Akane followed up with the rope, wrapping it around Kodachi's ankle and hauling the Kuno girl off her feet.

Unexpectedly, Kodachi rolled with the landing, dodging the club strike that would have surely relieved her of consciousness, then she sprang to her feet, calling for her razor hoop and hurling it at Akane. Akane managed to deflect it with her club, only to stare as the club was neatly sheared by the impact, leaving her holding a nub.

"Hey!" came Ranma's objection from Akane's corner. "There's razor blades on that thing!"

"The tools she has are legal, ma'am," came the referee's response.

Ranma growled, then began plotting while Akane dodged repeated ribbon strikes from Kodachi. '_Alright, Saotome, think_,' she thought to herself. '_A hoop with razor blades is perfectly legit. That means Kodachi probably has other little cheats built into her weapons._' Nodding to herself, Ranma picked up a ball, then began infusing it with ki. Once she felt a sufficient charge had built up, she called out, "Akane!" Then she tossed the ball into the air over the ring. Nodding, Akane leapt into the air, then spiked the ball towards Kodachi. Kodachi disdainfully moved to deflect the ball with her ribbon...only for everyone in the gym to be surprised as the ball exploded like a grenade as soon as Kodachi's ribbon made contact. When the smoke cleared, Kodachi looked to be covered in a fine layer of soot and blinking in surprise, while her ribbon was now mangled and useless.

The girl on commentary preempted any objections from Kodachi. "What a surprise! The Furinkan challenger and her second have managed to replicate Champion Kodachi's famous Ball Bomb attack! What surprises will the challenger pull out next?!" Kodachi silently fumed while Ranma smirked. '_That means ya can't even object, 'cause it's one of your own cheats,_' thought Ranma in satisfaction.

Kodachi produced her clubs. "I see I shall have to resort to extremes to exterminate a cockroach such as yourself. Prepare yourself...for the Attack of...a Thousand Clubs!" Pouncing in Akane's direction, Kodachi soon began to unleash a veritable storm of club strikes, which Akane desperately blocked with her own clubs.

Narrowing her eyes, Ranma watched the attack. '_That attack doesn't just __**look**__ like she's usin' ten or twenty clubs...she actually __**is**__ usin' ten or twenty of 'em_,' she thought to herself. Nodding to herself, Ranma called for Akane's attention again, then tossed her a hoop. Leaping away, Akane snagged the hoop, then slung it at Kodachi, striking her club hand. A very surprised Kodachi ended up dropping twenty clubs from her suddenly open hand.

Rolling away, Akane scooped up a ribbon, then attacked before Kodachi could realize what was going on. Lashing out with the ribbon, Akane wrapped it around Kodachi, then hurled her into the air out of the ring. Kodachi merely brought two fingers to her mouth and whistled. Ranma raised an eyebrow, while Kodachi looked horrified when she realized the ring wasn't moving.

_Thud!_

"Ring out! Champion Kodachi has landed outside the ring! The winner is Akane Tendo!" With that announcement, the Furinkan crowd broke out into loud cheers, while a very stunned Kodachi sat on the floor outside the ring, wondering just what happened.

Ranma approached Kodachi and squatted in front of her, favoring her with a smile. "I cleared out your teammates from under the ring ten minutes before the match started. That's why the ring didn't move when you whistled. Sorry, you lost. Maybe next time you'll actually fight clean instead of tryin' to cheat against a practitioner of Anything-Goes." The red-head then stood up, turned, and walked over to join the celebration around Akane, leaving Kodachi to brood on today's events.

* * *

><p><em>I don't know if my words actually registered in her head, but I sure hope they did so that girl can get the mental help she desperately needs.<em>

_I haven't even met him yet, but I'm already beginning to despise the Kuno kids' dad._

_For what he's done to screw up his kids, principal or not, I think I might decide to seriously hurt this guy._

_But that's for later. Now that the match is over, there's gonna be a victory party at the Tendo place. I understand there will be cookies, cake, and brownies, all prepared by Akane's oldest sister, Kasumi. Kasumi's cooking skills are second to none; not even my Mom can compare._

_I will be sure to treat these divine baked goods with the proper reverence they require._

_And after that, I'll be doing the job Akane's dad should've been doing all along: Training Akane in the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts. And if Tendo starts blubbering about how Akane's got a sensei besides him, I swear I'm gonna belt him to Neptune._

_Gotta go now. The party awaits!_

_**End Chapter 10.**_

**Author's Notes:** Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. Between a malfunctioning computer and my own writer's block, it was harder than it should've been to finish this thing. With any luck, future chapters won't take nearly as long to complete. Look forward to Chapter 11! Ja ne! ^_^


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER:** Remember to brush and floss after every meal. Oh, and yeah, these characters aren't mine. If they were, I would've done a much better job on the ending of the manga.

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><p><strong>"Adventures in Womanhood"<strong>

by Ranchan2k3

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><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

_At the first opportunity, I'm going to put in some research to try and figure out what I did in a past life to warrant all this bad karma._

_I fully expect to stumble across some grainy old photo from World War I where I'm clearly in the back row kicking a puppy._

_Let me explain. See, roughly a decade ago, Soun Tendo and his training partner, Genma Saotome, got together and got their master, Happosai, completely drunk, then sealed him inside a barrel of sake. Which they put in a cave. Which they blocked with a boulder. Which they covered with mystical seals. Then they left, congratulating themselves on finally getting rid of their dreaded master and moving on to raise their children in peace._

_It seems their celebrations were premature. Guess who finally broke out and paid the Tendo Dojo a visit not too long ago..._

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><p>It was a peaceful afternoon at the Tendo Dojo in Tokyo's Nerima ward. In the training hall, Ranma was putting Akane through her paces with a spar, finding holes in the other girl's guard and hitting the same spot progressively harder until Akane got the hint and closed up that particular hole in her guard. Akane's father, Soun, sat nearby, tears running down his face as he observed the spar, his emotions torn between rage at Ranma for striking his baby girl, pride in Akane's skill at picking up what Ranma was teaching, and regret at not being able to bring himself to hurt Akane enough to continue teaching her the Tendo School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts. All in all, a very pleasant moment in the home and dojo of the Tendo family.<p>

It wasn't to last.

"SWEETO!"

Soun visibly paled at hearing that aged voice. '_No, not him!_,' he mentally wailed to himself. '_How on earth did the Master get free?! Oh, Saotome, my old friend, if only you were here...!_'

Ranma and Akane paused on hearing that voice, neither one noticing Soun's reaction. Neither of them were prepared for what happened next: a shriveled up form, vaguely resembling an old man in a brown kenpogi, blurred into the dojo and latched onto Akane's chest. "Hey!" Akane took a swing at the old pervert, but he was already gone, leaping towards Ranma.

However quick he may be, though, Ranma was quicker.

_THWACK!_

The old man smacked into the wall, upside-down and dazed. Ranma interposed herself between Akane and the old man, visibly annoyed. "Oi! What's the big idea?! Ya can't just go invadin' somebody's personal space like that, you old lecher!"

The old man got back to his feet, shaking off the hit. "You surprised me, girl. It's not every day I meet someone with that amount of skill. Tell me your name."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Ranma Saotome."

The old man blinked. "Genma's brat? But that can't be. I was there for the birth, and I know for a fact that Genma and that lovely wife of his had a son."

You could have heard a pin drop after that announcement. Ranma swallowed audibly. "You...were there...?"

Understanding soon replaced confusion on the old man's face, followed by sympathy. "Jusenkyo?"

Ranma flinched. Happosai nodded. "I thought so."

Soun tentatively spoke up. "Um...h-hello, M-M-Master..."

Happosai glanced over, then waved him off. "Oh, don't worry yourself, Soun. I'm not here for revenge. After all, I'm supposed to be the Grandmaster of the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts. If I let my guard down enough for you and Genma to take advantage of me like that, I deserved what I got. Pay it no mind. It's forgiven and forgotten." Soun sagged in relief. Happosai continued. "No, what concerns me more is young Ranma here."

Now no longer quite so intimidated, Soun asked, "Um, why are you concerned about Ranma?"

"Because, my dear boy, Ranma-chan here visited Jusenkyo, the legendary training ground of accursed springs. They are responsible for making her what she is today."

"Er...and what was she before then, Master?"

"Isn't it obvious? She, before Jusenkyo, was a he."

* * *

><p>The atmosphere in the Tendo living room was tense. The explanation had taken a bit, with Happosai's help, and while the Tendo girls were not inclined to believe the lecherous old man at first, Soun had quietly informed them that the Master had never been known to lie about things of a mystical nature. And so it was that Ranma was sitting across the table from the assembled Tendo family, her gaze directed downward as she awaited judgment.<p>

Akane was the first to speak up. "So, let me get this straight. You, Ranma, were originally a boy."

Ranma meekly nodded.

"Then you went to this Jusenkyo place, where your father was turned into a...a _panda_...and you were changed into a girl."

Another nod.

"And to the best of your knowledge, these changes are permanent."

Again, the red-head nodded.

"Then...why didn't you tell us this before?"

Ranma looked up to meet Akane's gaze. "I had no way to prove it!" She turned her gaze downward again. "And...I didn't know you well enough to know how you'd react, or if you'd even believe me."

Soun finally spoke up. "Well, this problem isn't completely insurmountable. We can still go ahead with the joining of the schools. All you have to do is choose one of my girls to be your fiancee, and then we can go to Jusenkyo and-"

"No."

The interruption came from Ranma, and it jerked Soun to a halt. "No?"

Ranma glared at the man. "No. I'm not going to force one of your girls to go through the same hell I've gone through just so you can have your stupid joining of the schools. And to be perfectly frank, I think you should retract the suggestion right now and forget all about it, because it looks to me like your daughters want to play a round of Dog Pile On The Father."

Soun blinked, then looked at his girls, paling as he noticed that all three of them - even the normally sweet and loving Kasumi - were all glaring at him for even attempting to suggest that one of them should be changed into the opposite sex just to marry Ranma and join the schools. If looks could kill, Soun would be a very unpleasant smear on the floor right now.

Cue the Tendo Patriarch Waterworks. "WAAAAAAAAH! MY DAUGHTERS HATE ME! WAAAAAAAAAH! NOW THE SCHOOLS WILL NEVER BE JOINED! WAAAAAAAAAH!"

There was a collective rolling of eyes at that reaction.

Happosai sighed, looking back over at Ranma. "You have my deepest sympathies, Ranma-chan. I can't even begin to imagine how it must feel to have your very identity stripped from you in such a fashion."

Ranma just nodded.

Akane stood up. "I'm sorry, but I'm just...not at all sure what to think about this. I'm so used to thinking that all boys are perverts, and now I find out that you used to be one. I know you're nothing like them, but still, I just...need a little time to think it over. I'll see you at school tomorrow and let you know then." She then hurried from the room.

Ranma looked stricken. Kasumi sighed, gazing sympathetically at Ranma. "I don't believe she'll end your friendship with you over this, Ranma-chan. Little sister...has a few problems to work out. She just needs to figure out how she should think about you."

Nabiki nodded. "Yeah. It's not every day you find out magic is real and waiting to change you into something else the first chance it gets. I'll be sure to avoid making any trips to China in the future."

Ranma glanced around at the family, then stood up. "...I'm goin' home now. I think...I need to be with Mom right now." She then hurried from the dojo.

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><p><em>After I got home, I found Mom and explained what happened. She just held me. That simple gesture broke my restraint and I cried. Long and hard. Despite Kasumi's assurances, I'm not convinced I didn't just lose Akane's friendship today. My eyes are all red and puffy now.<em>

_The only reason I'm not still crying is because I made myself sick and tapped into the Soul of Ice after that._

_Akane did say she'd see me at school tomorrow, so I guess I'll find out then what her decision is._

_God, Akane, I'm sorry._

_Please don't think I'm a perverted freak._

_...The Soul of Ice isn't working. I'm going to end this here, because I think I need to go cry some more._

_I'll let you know what happens._

_**End Chapter 11.**_

**Author's Note:** A little bit more depressing than the previous chapters, but as I wrote this, I just couldn't see it coming out any other way. They all needed to find out about the curse, and Happosai seemed like a convenient way to accomplish that. Hopefully, the next chapter will be a little more cheerful. Read and review, because those are the fuel that urges me to write more. Look forward to Chapter 12! Bye! ^_^


	12. Chapter 12

**DISCLAIMER:** Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.

* * *

><p><strong>"Adventures in Womanhood"<strong>

by Ranchan2k3

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><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

_I'm an idiot._

_No, relax, it's not for the reason you think. Entirely the opposite, in fact._

_As you know, in my last entry, the truth of my gender situation came out to the Tendos. Akane told me she needed a little time, but she promised she'd speak to me at school the next day._

_I met her at lunch..._

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><p>"Ranma?"<p>

The red-head in question looked up from the bento lunch she'd been morosely picking at for the last five minutes. "Hm?" She straightened up with a blink. "Akane?"

The youngest Tendo was standing next to Ranma, visibly nervous. After a moment, she knelt down and whispered to Ranma. "I've been thinking about yesterday ever since it happened. I've decided...it wasn't your fault. You didn't ask for this, and you didn't have any way to prove it if you told someone about it. So...I forgive you for not telling me, and I'd like to still be friends. Okay...Sensei?"

Ranma stared at Akane for a moment, then reached over and pulled her into a grateful hug. "Oh, Akane, of course we can! I was so worried you'd think I was a perverted freak and call off our friendship."

Akane smiled, returning the hug. "I'm sorry I made you worry, Ranma. Tell you what: Come over to our place for dinner tonight. Kasumi wanted me to invite you; she said she had something special she wanted to make for you. Will you come?"

A grin spread across Ranma's face. "Dinner from Kasumi? I'm _so_ there."

* * *

><p><em>Dinner wasn't the only bombshell I had waiting for me when I got there. This particular surprise would rock the Tendo family dynamic to its core, and the one to rock the boat was, of all people, Kasumi...<em>

* * *

><p>"Welcome, Ranma! Please, come in. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes."<p>

"Thanks, Kasumi," replied Ranma as she entered the house, leaving her slippers in the genkan. Kasumi escorted Ranma into the family room, where Akane was setting the table, then the eldest daughter departed for the kitchen. Soun was already sitting at the table, reading his newspaper and smoking a cigarette. A few minutes later, Ranma and the rest of the Tendo family were seated at the table. Kasumi brought out the food, serving the guest first.

Ranma blinked a bit at the special dish she was served, turning a questioning gaze towards Kasumi. "Red beans and rice?"

Kasumi nodded, smiling warmly at Ranma. "To welcome you into womanhood, Ranma-chan."

Ranma's cheeks reddened as she turned her gaze back to her food. "Um, thanks, Kasumi."

Kasumi then served her sisters, and finally herself. After the girls were served, Soun put aside his newspaper, then blinked as an object was tossed into his chest by Kasumi, hastily catching it on reflex. He looked at what was in his hands, then up at Kasumi in confusion. "Instant ramen?"

Kasumi nodded, perfectly calm. "Why, yes. Since my father has apparently been replaced by a strange man who has no problems with suggesting a permanent sex change simply to unite the two branches of the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts in marriage, I simply cannot bring myself to continue treating you as family."

"But Kasumi-!"

"Also, I have contacted a friend of mine and will be attending evening classes at college to pursue the nursing degree that I was forced to abandon when my father decided his grief mattered more than taking care of his children," the eldest Tendo daughter continued as if the man hadn't even spoken. "And I will not be doing your laundry anymore, either, or cleaning your room for you. You're a grown man, Father. It's long past time you started acting like it."

Kasumi's sisters were stunned. Ranma was surprised, too. '_I didn't know she had it in her!_' After a minute, Soun finally responded...by turning on the waterworks. "WAAAAAAAAAAAAH! MY DAUGHTER HATES ME! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Kasumi sighed. "Oh, Father..."

* * *

><p><em>Dinner after that was a little tense to say the least. I felt like I'd seen something I probably shouldn't have. Then again, she's the one who invited me, so maybe she wanted me to see that for some reason.<em>

_Probably just showing that she supports me, too._

_Anyway, after dinner, I was called into the dojo by Happosai. Apparently he wanted to have a word with me about the future of the school..._

* * *

><p>Ranma sat on her knees across from Happosai, the two of them in the middle of the Tendo's training hall. "You wanted to see me?"<p>

Happosai nodded. "Yes, my girl, I certainly did. First, I wanted to express my sympathies for the loss you experienced when you were changed into your current gender. Though I personally feel it's an improvement as there's no such thing as too many pretty ladies in this world, I understand that you yourself would much rather be a man, and it saddens me greatly that I can do nothing to help you with that."

Ranma swallowed audibly, but nodded. "Um, yeah. Thanks, that means a lot to me."

The old man continued. "Secondly, I wanted to speak with you about the future of the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts. Your father and Soun Tendo were two of my students, the ones I felt worthy of teaching my skills to. Now, unless I miss my guess, your father was also changed at Jusenkyo into something other than human..."

"A panda," Ranma supplied helpfully.

Happosai nodded, continuing. "...and Soun is a completely immature emotional wreck. I can no more trust them with the future of the school than I could a couple of cockroaches. However, in you, Ranma, I see something special. It isn't every day I find a mere teenager with the skill to catch me unawares when I'm in the mood for a good grope, and what I sense of your spirit seems honorable in the extreme. Therefore, I would like to teach to you the ultimate techniques of the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts. None of that 'get strong or die' approach that your father liked to use, but I won't be going soft on you like Soun, either."

Ranma blinked. "Um, how do you know what kind of approach my Pop used in training?"

Happosai snorted. "The evidence is as obvious as mud in a ballroom to anyone who can read auras, Ranma. In any case, the offer is there. Will you accept and become the true heir to the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts?"

Ranma took that in, then smiled and bowed. "I accept."

* * *

><p><em>My training began then and there with a simple technique that's good for tossing away people who assault you. A kinetic redirection technique. With this technique, I only need one finger to redirect my opponent's own kinetic force and send them flying up into the air. A handy way to stop a fight before it even gets started, and great for casually impressing anyone who happens to be watching.<em>

_He's a surprisingly good teacher, even if I did have to stop him from groping me a couple of times. I'm really looking forward to learning more._

_Anyway, that's why I'm an idiot. I'm an idiot because I didn't have faith that Akane would stay friends with me._

_Nabiki approached me later and said Kasumi's dinner table announcement surprised her. She blamed me for it, but said it was a good thing, 'cause Kasumi was long overdue to start seeing to her own dreams and wishes._

_Too bad old man Tendo is too busy being lost in his fantasies to see that. He was still sobbing about what happened at dinner by the time I left for home._

_So. I'm the heir to the whole school now. Happosai says he wants to get me properly licensed and stuff as quickly as possible, mainly because he isn't sure how many more years he's got left. He's encouraged me to keep helping out Akane, because he senses a lot of potential in her, too, and can't believe her father completely stopped training her with any seriousness._

_I won't let him down. Or Akane, either._

_I wouldn't be Ranma Saotome if I did._

_**End Chapter 12.**_

**Author's Notes:** I wanted to get this one out fairly quickly to avoid the lynch mobs after I left off the last chapter with such a depressing cliffhanger. I hope this one lived up to expectations. As always, please review! They inspire me to write more. See you in Chapter 13! Bye! ^_^


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